Hi all! It’s been nearly a year now since the last episode of The Wildlife Garden Podcast. We’ve had a lot to deal with in our personal lives so it has had to take a back seat. Ellie and I (Ben) are no longer working together, but Ellie is still going strong with her business, Ellies Wellies Organic Gardening. Although we’ve headed our separate ways, we’ve decided that we really want to keep the podcast going. You’ll have a little longer to wait, but we will return this summer for a new...

As we head into June we encourage you to leave the mower alone, with a little help from Plantlife. Then we have the second part of our interview with the fabulous Dr Abigail Lowe, talking about the preferred food for pollinators. And we polish things off with a stunning garden speedwell as our Native Plant of the Month, Veronica spicata ssp. spicata. Help us keep the podcast running by making a donation! Every penny goes towards our running costs, and means there are no adverts or sponsors...

This month we are thrilled to interview Dr Abigail Lowe, Community Science Officer at the Natural History Museum and an expert on plants and their pollinators. We also have a brief clip from the British Trust for Ornithology and a wildlife gardening correspondent too! If that’s not enough, we then look at a spring delight, the charming Windflower or Anemone nemorosa. Help us keep the podcast running by making a donation! Every penny goes towards our running costs, and means there are no...

Join us in our Garden Jungle with a fabulous book by Professor Dave Goulson. If that's not enough, we have brand new research from Professor Goulson's team on garden birds and we look at a fabulous tree for wildlife, the native Holly. Keep the podcast running by making a donation! We're grateful for any donations to our PayPal Watch us on Youtube The Wild GDN Then, sign up to our NEWSLETTER for all future updates and podcast meetups And follow us on Facebook or Twitter too, if you are so...

Gardens should be full of flower all year round! In this episode we prove you can have every colour of the rainbow brightening your garden this winter. Then pucker up for our Native Plant of the Month: Mistletoe. Find all the information and links mentioned in the episode on our website Ellies Wellies - A Riotous Rainbow of Winter Colour Keep the podcast running by making a donation! We're grateful for any donations to our PayPal Watch us on Youtube The Wild GDN Then, sign up to our...

It's sometimes said that wood is most alive when it is dead. In this episode we delve deep into the rotten world of deadwood and discover the fascinating range of creatures that rely on it. We then pick one tree in particular, the stunning Silver Birch for our 'Native Plant of the Month'. It’s nearly Christmas! Our present to you…Click HERE to watch our live Q&A on Monday 19th December at 7.30pm Ask us questions in advance on Facebook or Twitter Then, sign up to our NEWSLETTER for all...

A big question many wildlife gardeners may have asked themselves...should we Rewild our gardens? After a chat about our opinion, we get 'fernatical' about the Hart's Tongue, the first fern as part of our native plant of the month! Find all the information and links mentioned in the episode on our website Ellies Wellies - Should we Rewild our Gardens? Help us keep the podcast running by making a donation! Every penny goes towards our running costs and means there are no adverts or sponsors...

In this episode we ask...what is fruit? And what fruits are good for wildlife? Then, as our native plant of the month, we take on the thorny yet fruity staple of the British garden and countryside, the humble Hawthorn. Find all the information and links mentioned in the episode on our website Ellies Wellies - A Festival of Fruit with the Humble Hawthorne Help us keep the podcast running by making a donation! Every penny goes towards our running costs and means there are no adverts or...

Have you ever wondered what all the buzz is about in your garden? This episode we get to grips with some of the wild bees you are likely to find, with the help of 'The Secret Life of Garden Bees' by Jean Vernon. We then learn about a knockout Knautia for your garden, the charming Field Scabious. Find all the information and links mentioned in the episode on our website Ellies Wellies - Beguiling Bees and Knockout Knautias Help us keep the podcast running by making a donation! Every penny...

This week we dive deep into the musty world of your compost bin and look at the wildlife you could find there. We are also joined for the second time by worm expert Dr Emma Sherlock. Then, we cover our first native pond plant, the charming Flowering Rush or Butomus umbellatus. Find all the information and links mentioned in the episode on our website Ellies Wellies - Compost, Worms and the Flowering Rush Help us keep the podcast running by making a donation! Every penny goes towards our...

In a jam packed episode we ask: Is spring coming earlier? We then take a closer look at earthworms with Senior Curator of Annelids at the Natural History Museum, Dr Emma Sherlock. Finishing the episode, a favourite grass, Molinia caerulea or Purple Moor Grass, is our native plant of the week. Find all the information and links mentioned in the episode on our website Ellies Wellies - Purple Moor Grass and Dr Enna Sherlock on Worms Help us keep the podcast running by making a donation! Every...

Just a quick update on where we have been and what is coming up on the podcast! Help us keep the podcast running by making a donation! Every penny goes towards our running costs, and means there are no adverts or sponsors messages to listen to. We're grateful for any donations to PayPal.Me/thewildgdn Watch us on Youtube The Wild GDN Follow us on Facebook or Twitter too, if you are so inclined!

We've made it! One year of the podcast and 24 episodes later, we have a chat about our own way into gardening and test ourselves on what we've learned so far. Then we look at our most ancient native tree, the Yew. Find all the information and links mentioned in the episode on our website Ellies Wellies - Happy Birthday to Yew (and us)! Help us keep the podcast running by making a donation! Every penny goes towards our running costs, and means there are no adverts or sponsors messages to...

A new year is upon us and we start in style by taking a break from our own rules and discuss wildlife we've seen outside gardens over the Christmas holidays. Then we return to the fantastic Dr Ian Bedford who tells us exactly why there is no need for pesticides in any garden! We finish by discussing the delightful Dog Rose, whose ruby red berries speckle hedgerows up and down the country over winter. Find all the information and links mentioned in the episode on our website Ellies Wellies -...

As winter comes on more birds start to visit our garden and we discuss some of the plants looking good right now. Then, our guest Dr Ian Bedford tells us about how he gardens for wildlife and insects. We also discuss a botanical mystery about the fabulous native shrub Daphne mezereum, which is followed by our native plant of the week, the incredible Crab Apple. Find all the information and links mentioned in the episode on our website Ellies Wellies - Interview: Dr Ian Bedford and...

Book club is upon us so we delve deep into the world of pollination with a fantastic book by ecologist Professor Jeff Ollerton. After that, Ellie takes a sip of our homemade Sloe Gin while Ben waxes lyrical about the fantastic (if thorny) shrub Prunus spinosa, otherwise known as the Blackthorn. Find all the information and links mentioned in the episode on our website Ellies Wellies - Pollination perfection and 'The Gin Shrub' Support the podcast and help us cover our costs here Get The...

As Hedgehogs roam the British countryside looking for a place to nestle down and hibernate for the winter, we discuss how you can help them in your own gardens. Then we take a look at a favourite wildflower of ours that looks fantastic in any garden: the Teasel. Find all the information and links mentioned in the episode on our website Ellies Wellies - Spiky characters: Hedgehogs and Teasel Support the podcast and help us cover our costs here Get The Wildlife Podcast Some Gear Watch us...

Sad news at The Wildlife Garden Podcast HQ as the largest tree on our terrace was felled by a neighbour. We lament its loss then tell you what you can do to protect trees in your area and how to choose one for your own garden. We also host Helen Bostock for the second part of her interview about wildlife gardening with the RHS, then profile the fabulous field maple as our native plant of the week! Find all the information and links mentioned in the episode on our website Ellies Wellies -...

We host the head wildlife gardener at the RHS, Helen Bostock, as our guest this week. We chat all about the work behind the scenes on the Plants for Bugs and Plants for Pollinators projects as well as her ongoing work encouraging us all to garden with wildlife in mind. As our native plant of the week, we take a look at chef's favourite Oregano.  Find all the information and links mentioned in the episode on our website Ellies Wellies - Helen Bostock and Oregano Support the podcast and...

Moths are stunning and fascinating creatures that share our gardens. This episode we talk about what they are, why they are important and how we can help them! We also share our enthusiasm for the year-round beauty that is Viburnum opulus, or the Guelder Rose. Find all the information and links mentioned in the episode on our website Ellies Wellies - Magnificent moths and Guelder Rose Support the podcast and help us cover our costs here Get The Wildlife Podcast Some Gear Watch us on...

Someone (Ben) forget to press record for our live Q&A! Instead of an edited version released as a podcast, anyone who want's to watch can subscribe to our YouTube Channel 'The Wild GND' and watch the video version here The Wild GDN - YouTube Next week will be our episode all about planting and managing gardens for moths! Support the podcast and help us cover our costs here Get The Wildlife Podcast Some Gear Follow us on Facebook or Twitter too, if you are so inclined!      

For our latest book club we read the charming guide to 'Making a Wildflower Meadow' by Pam Lewis. We also chat about the beguiling Bramble which is a boon for your autumn crumbles and wildlife too! Find all the information and links mentioned in the episode on our website Ellies Wellies - Meadow making and beguiling Brambles Support the podcast and help us cover our costs here Get The Wildlife Podcast Some Gear Follow us on Facebook or Twitter too, if you are so inclined!

If you've enjoyed a break from the lawn during 'No Mow May' but ended up with 'just grass', then we hope in this episode to convince you of the beauty and importance of grasses in their own right for both humans and wildlife. We also take a look at a stunning plant often found amongst the tall grass, the ruby jewel that is Sanguisorba officinalis. Find all the information and links mentioned in the episode on our website Ellies Wellies - Gorgeous Grasses and Sanguisorba Support the...

We are very excited this episode to introduce our listeners to PhD student Nick Tew who discusses some of the most up-to-date science around what plants are best for pollinators. In the same vein, we look at a wonderful shrub for both pollinators and caterpillars, the stunning Shrubby Cinqfoil or Potentilla fruticosa. Find all the information and links mentioned in the episode on our website Ellies Wellies - Nick Tew and Shrubby Cinqfoil Support the podcast and help us cover our costs...