It’s that time of year. Everything is blooming, growing, breeding. From the lambs dancing in the fields, the influx of insects, and the first butterfly you spot, all are signs of the new season. Nature knows what it’s doing, but sometimes it can do with a helping hand. Here’s some tips of what you can do to help out nature near your pond. Have a pondFirst, just having a pond...
Here at Swell UK HQ we are dedicated to helping pond dwelling creatures thrive; be they fish, amphibians or insects. It’s a sad fact that in the UK many of our most well-loved, pond dwelling species are disappearing at an alarming rate due to a reduction in natural wildlife ponds and bog areas. But the good news is that there is something you can do to help!By creating your very own mini Eco...
Whether you are in the countryside or in the middle of town, there are a range of domestic and wild predators that are more than happy to make a meal out of your well-tended koi and other pond fish.Frustrating and costly, visits from herons, cats and even otters can devastate your pond stock, taking expensive fish and effecting the health of survivors through worry, lowering their immune syste...
Setting up a new pond from scratch can often lead to a moment of disappointment as your freshly built garden oasis turns to a nasty green sludge during the first few weeks and months.Known as ‘New Pond Syndrome’, this happens due to a chemical imbalance in your pond water that your fledgling filter isn’t yet mature enough to deal with. Don’t worry, these things settle down, and there a...
Protecting Garden Wildlife Now the colder weather is here, the garden wildlife population will noticeably diminish. This is because many animals hibernate over the season, or take themselves off somewhere much warmer – the lucky things!But some creatures remain in or around our gardens all winter, some maybe sleeping quietly and some still appear looking for food. It’s lovely to see these...
As I am sure you have noticed, summer is now over and now is the perfect time to prep your garden ready for winter. There are many different things you can do to make sure your garden is ready for cold temperatures and frosty weather but here are a few to get your started: Tidy your Borders An important chore to add to your list is to tidy up your garden borders. This is where most of your plant...
While there are of course seeds you can sow in your garden to germinate next year as well as ready flowered potted plants you can insert straight into your flowerbeds, there are still a few flowers and plants worth adding as seedling as late as august to give your garden a colour boost with the added satisfaction of having grown them yourself. Flowering Plants If you want a last-blast of colour ...
Carefully sculpted and landscaped gardens certainly can be beautiful things to behold, especially on a warm summer’s day when the light catches all its’ features just right, but without a busy wildlife scene they can sometimes seem a little empty and soulless.A surprising number of animals considered to be British wildlife are currently under threat due to disease, pollution and the destru...
Holiday Garden Care It may be summer, but just because you are going on holiday doesn't mean your garden is going to stop growing and changing while you are away...Here’s the Best Summer Garden Care Tips to ensure you don’t come back to a messy garden, ensuring your private paradise can cope with the ever changing British summer. Establish a Watering System While some gardens are relati...
Summer is well underway and few of us can remember the last time we had weather this glorious.So if you've looking to increase the amount of time that you spend in your garden, now is the perfect opportunity to do so -what better way to unwind after work than by hosting a BBQ.There are the obvious things to remember- BBQ, food and alcohol all go without saying, but rather than bringing out...