I've waited 30 years for a garden!

[onionade]

[quote=badgerwatcher] I don't know where it went. If anyone finds a long rambling reply, it's mine.

hehe

Hey Badger watcher, definitely sounds like a cool house, watch out for them badgers burrowing under house's foundations though.

[nightshade]

I agree with the above,explore and make a plan do not slash and burn
it is late in the season for a lot of animals (esp.Bats) your garden and
serendipity seem to go together!
Lots of photos now and in the spring (before and after record),welcome to WAB

[rlchew]

Hello Badgerwatcher

Welcome to WAB.

What an interesting introduction. You are certainly lucky to have found your wilderness garden even if it did take 30 years!

Take good care of it. These mini nature reserves are so important. Please let us know more and try and post some badger photos in the Gallery for us.

Richard

[badgerwatcher]

Thank you all. Don't worry, I definitely am going to watch the garden for at least a year before I change anything, so I can see what plants and wildlife I have. I didn't mention the insects, amazing specimens, especially beetles, and spiders, and lizards and slow-worms, and snakes according to the neighbours, who were a bit disappointed I didn't look horrified when they told me! Bring 'em on, I say! And frogs, as there was a pond which has been filled in, so we need to dig it out. Any tips on setting up ponds appreciated, please.

[badgerwatcher]

Encouraged by the fact that my last reply has appeared, I will add some more! I have a new camera, not my strong point, photography, but will endeavour to send photos. Haven't worked out to transfer them to my computer yet! If all else fails, I'll read the manual!
I can see badger and fox paths through the undergrowth if I crouch down. Unsure whether to clear them a little more to create access routes for us to explore, or whether to avoid them, and try to cut other unobtrusive paths through. The garden is cut in terraces, climbing the side of the Downs. We're in South East Kent, by the way. I've always loved chalk downlands, ever since, as a small girl, I discovered Eyebright growing in Arundel Park, whilst lying of my stomach in the grass, and planarian (I think, water slugs?) in the moat among the catmint, and insisted on taking them home and making a pond for them. I still can't believe I own a chunk! It's a great responsibility, especially as we back onto an area of special scientific interest, or whatever the term is. Sorry, it's a bit late at night. I'm getting vaguer than usual. Goodnight! Great to meet you all.

[badgerwatcher]

Afterthoughts, things I forgot to say- Yes, we're busy setting up feeders everywhere, John, seeds, peanuts, niger, fat blocks, and are putting dishes of water out for anything that might want it. We have bird houses and nesting boxes yet to put up, and need to get bird baths, but I'd like a pond with a stepped waterfall, as I always loved going to Kew gardens when I was young, and watching the sparrows bathing in the waterfalls. Must get batboxes too, haven't seen any bats yet. Or hedgehogs. I'm beginning to keep a journal, Alan, and wish I'd started it sooner, but didn't know what I was moving to! And good idea about the map. Lots of plants we haven't identified yet, which look a bit drab at present, but may do something wonderful later. As for getting the badgers used to lights gradually, they don't seem to bother them at all. We have outside lights which we leave on quite often, so that we can see them more clearly. The neighbours say they can sit in their garden, and the badgers walk about and ignore them, but I'm not going to push my luck that far yet.

[Wild-Woman]

Sounds like your garden ought to be declared a site of special scientific interest too! If it's part of chalk downlands, I'd be on the look out for rare orchids if I were you, especially in Kent. With any luck your garden may also be host to some rare butterflies, perhaps the odd Adonis if you've got horseshoe vetch tucked away in some corner.
I regularly visit the Kent reserves so if you wanted to pm your reserve location I'll happily look up what you could find there. I'm North Kent btw.
Keep us posted on your badgers and wildlife-we just love it!

Julie

[FungiJohn]

Hi John and a very warm welcome to WAB. Enjoy!
John

[nightshade]

Regarding Bat boxes,there are many on the market that are not up to
snuff,Schwegler are the best type FF1 in particular
The boxes should be made from 1" thick untreated wood because
they do like to be warm!
This is my favourite website Warwickshire Bat Group

[badgerwatcher]

Thanks for info re batboxes, nightshade.Have stored Warwickshire bat group in Favourites to peruse later. I'm a bit worried by the whole new thought that badgers may burrow under house foundations, onionade! I'll keep an eye. The ones I am seeing are not as big as I imagined badgers to be, from sightings of dead ones by roadside. They are about two feet long, if that. I suppose they are not very old, so mum and dad are staying away. My name's Geraldine, by the way, as I think people are calling me John!