How about this for a wildlife garden?

[galanthophile]

This is my new allotment.. Alot of work to do but I'm up for the challenge. It will take many months to get it into a state where I can grow anything but I will also try and leave some space for wild things. There are already many birds and butterflies in residence.

[Littlesparrow]

Looks like you have a challenge on your hands there. Perhaps you could take some progress photos as you do the work? How much area do you plan to leave wild, sometimes allotment managers don't like wild bits?
We have a couple fields near us that as being sold for development, they have stood untouched for about three years and are full of wildflowers, cinnabar moths, and other butterflies,you regularly see buzzards,rabbits and a few foxes.
If they ever do build on it you wonder where all the wildlife will go.

[tom00_uk]

the one i took on while at uni was like that,

tackled it with a strimmer/brushcutter and covered with tarp, carpet, boxes etc to block out the light and let it rot a bit while the seedlings grew to the stage of being ready to plant out

[galanthophile]

Did about 3 hours there yesterday cutting down some of the bigger clumps of weeds (docks and brambles). Tonight we have a strimmer for the rest. There is a large part near the bottom full of nettles so I will leave that wild for now as we will have plenty to work on. Some of it has already been covered with plastic sheeting so that is a big plus. There are plenty of semi wild plots so the butterflies and birds still have plenty of scope. It pains me to see so many wild spaces being reclaimed for houses. I will do my bit to preserve some wildlife havens in my space. Here's the progress from yesterday.

[King Edward]

What are you planning to do on the allotment? Vegetables, flowers? Obviously you'll have to clear most/all of the existing vegetation, but the best thing for wildlife would be to grow a wide range of flowers if possible, ensure that there's lot of structure to the vegetation of whatever type, plenty of leaf litter / decaying plant matter, and not too much bare ground (as far as that's compatible with vegetable growing).

[galanthophile]

I plan on growing vegetables and fruit (in a cage) and I like the idea of a flower border/area. There will be compost heaps and there is a patch at the bottom that hasn't been covered and is completely wild so I might leave that until next year. There are lots of nettles and grasses. I sort of feel a little bit guilty already for depriving some of the butterflies and bees from feeding in these cleared patches but there are plenty of other plots in a similar condition!

[Littlesparrow]

Looks like you did a lot in three hours galanthophile, is this your first allotment?

[galanthophile]

Yes this is my first allotment. My Dad used to have one when I was a child and he had a huge plot with vegetables and he kept pigeons. Being back on a plot has brought back so many memories. I wish he was still here to see it. I'm so excited about it!

[Kayleigh]

Are there rules on land like this to stop invasive species getting into the countryside as comfrey is a good green manure and plant feed but its very invasive there are lots of other plants and shrubs too like cotoneaster In just wondered if you can plant anything you like..
Have you thought about this at all..

[galanthophile]

Interesting question. I'm not sure about the allotment rules (yet)! but I know what you mean. Having seen the weeds like mare's tail, bramble and dock that are all over my plot I would welcome comfrey! I will have to be careful about what to plant. Even if I grow a few perennials I don't want heavy seed setters like cranesbill - I know what some of those varieties have done in my own garden!