Credit: Birgit Gödert-Jacoby
In the latest in a series of articles about current conservation issues, experts at natur&ëmwelt, a leading nature conservation NGO in Luxembourg, spoke to Chronicle.lu about how to make one's garden a refuge for nature.
Natur&ëmwelt volunteer David Crowther helped gather the relevant information from the NGO for this article.
Chronicle.lu: In centuries past, formal gardens were a kind of allegory for man's domination of the wilderness. However, things have changed, have they not?
Natur&ëmwelt: Radically! With farmland becoming more and more of an insect-free desert, the onus now falls on private gardens (and on local authorities) to become oases of biodiversity - at least until such time as modern agriculture comes to its senses.
Chronicle.lu: How serious is the situation concerning biodiversity on farmland?
Natur&ëmwelt: Very. All the indicators show a headlong decline in farmland birds, which is hardly surprising considering that similar indicators show a calamitous decline in the insects that the birds live on, and in agricultural weeds, that the insects live on. It's very much a vicious circle.
Chronicle.lu: So, gardening in a more nature-friendly way could tip the balance at least a bit the other way?
Natur&ëmwelt: Individual gardens may be small and seem relatively insignificant, but put together, they do account for quite an appreciable amount of land. And because they are often contiguous, they have a very desirable "corridor" effect, allowing plants and animals to migrate between them.
Chronicle.lu: What can a lone gardener do to help to conserve our native wildlife?
Natur&ëmwelt: Well, you may not want to hear this, but getting rid of your cat(s) is a good start. Cats are not good news for breeding birds or any other kinds of wildlife.
Chronicle.lu: Hmm, anything else?
Natur&ëmwelt: Be untidy. Nature loves disorder and abhors tidiness. We're not suggesting you let the plants in your garden run riot, but being just a little less tidy-minded really can work wonders.
Chronicle.lu: Any tips for untidiness?
Natur&ëmwelt: Leave a few piles of stones and/or twigs lying around - you'll be surprised which animals might colonise them (lizards, hedgehogs…). Don't cut back the seedheads of flowering plants: they're a great winter food source. Plant native bushes and trees. Encourage birds to do your organic pest control for you by putting up nestboxes, along with an insect hotel and a birdbath. And, if you really want to be radical, cultivate a flower meadow rather than a manicured lawn.
Chronicle.lu: How does one convert a lawn into a flower meadow? Is just giving up mowing sufficient?
Natur&ëmwelt: Not normally. A really biodiverse flower meadow needs poor soil; lawns generally have nutrient-rich soil. You can sometimes coax an erstwhile lawn into bearing a decent range of wildflowers by adding lots of sand, but the result is rarely satisfactory. The recommended way is to strip back the soil and start again, with poor soil and a judicious mix of wildflower seeds.
Chronicle.lu: Can you offer any further details?
Natur&ëmwelt: There are whole libraries of books on the subject. But a good start is the guide produced by natur&ëmwelt which you can get online (in German) or at the House of Nature on the Kockelscheuer road.
Chronicle.lu: Having made a start, how will one know if one is on the right track?
Natur&ëmwelt: Probably when your neighbour starts complaining that things are getting a bit scruffy on your side of the fence… Seriously, there are worse ways than simply monitoring the growing profusion of wild plants, animals, insects (try doing the current insect census), and especially birds in your garden. Many of us judge a successful garden by the number of bird species our gardens attract. It's quite possible to amass a "garden list" of 50-60 species (residents and "just visiting") over the years. A lot of those were once farmland species and we hope they will be again one day. But for the time being, gardens are an absolutely vital refuge.
