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Woodbridge: Nature-loving gardens open up to celebrate wildlife

Andrea Skevington Andrea Skevington's garden full of white and pink flowersAndrea Skevington
Andrea Skevington's garden is among those that will be part of an open day of wildlife-friendly green spaces on 27 May

A garden with a washing up bowl for a pond and another where creatures make the most of a dead hedge are among those opening up to inspire others to follow their lead.

The gardens are part of the Wildlife Corridor in Woodbridge, Suffolk, an initiative set up by a community group.

People in the town have been encouraged to leave all, or parts, of their green spaces wild.

Eight gardens will be part of the project's first open event on 27 May.

Hilary Whyard Hilary Whyard in her gardenHilary Whyard
Hilary Whyard said her patch of garden is "just a couple of feet by a couple of feet" but she wanted to make it as "wildlife friendly as possible"

Hilary Whyard, co-chair of organisers Transition Woodbridge, will be among those opening up her green space.

She lives in a social housing project run in Theatre Street in the town.

The 75-year-old said she has a "tiny patch" outside her door which is "just a couple of feet by a couple of feet" but she wanted to make it as "wildlife friendly as possible".

She said her washing up bowl pond is "teeming with tiny life and dragonflies visit" and two hedgehogs drink from it.

Hilary Whyard Hilary Whyard's washing up bowl pondHilary Whyard
She has used a washing up bowl to make a pond

Her patch also has a hedgehog house, a bug hotel and she is about to build a stumpery - made from piled up logs, bark and other wood - for stag beetles.

"It is important for people to consider wildlife in our gardens however small," she said.

"We need to encourage biodiversity and if we all did it we would have safe passage throughout our town."

Bespectacled Andrea Skevington smiling in her garden.
Andrea Skevington said it was an "absolute joy" to see wildlife flourish in her garden

Andrea Skevington, who has a large garden at home on Ipswich Road, will be showing visitors how they can combine the traditional look with a lawn and flowerbeds while looking after nature.

She has a sink for a pond, old stumps that provide hiding spaces for beetles and a dead hedge is a hideaway for creatures.

Ms Skevington mows some of her grass in a variety of lengths to help flowers grow and to attract birds.

A nature pond made from an old sink
She has a pond made from an old sink
An old hedge in Andrea Skevington's garden
It looks like creatures, possibly a hedgehog, have been making the most of an old hedge in Mrs Skevington's garden

Mrs Skevington said it was an "absolute joy" to see wildlife flourish and she hoped the open event would be an opportunity for people to share ideas.

The open garden event will be held from 12:00 BST to 16:00.

Gardens in Melton and one in Debach are also taking part.

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