This is Jenny Steel
She leaves most people standing when it comes to knowing about plants, having such a real deep passion for them - plus a Masters degree in plant ecology from Oxford.
Well, I do have one out of the two.
What I do not have is her in depth knowledge of wildlife, wide experience of writing and teaching - and a garden shown on Gardeners World.
( Although I’m sure Alan’s eyes met mine at the Chelsea Flower Show once ! )
Jenny has put all this wealth of knowledge and experience into her various books and publications.
Her example has been a great help in creating this family website. So it’s with real pleasure that we can offer two of her down to earth but so knowledgeable ‘Gardening With Nature’ books.
Ponds, a world within a world. We have a tiny pond, but it just heaves with energy, drama and action. Well - it just heaves with life !
You really don’t need a Lake Windermere in your garden.
A small patch of water, almost an overgrown puddle if well designed, will give so many little creatures a home - and all will repay you by showing a never ending, fascinating kaleidoscope of life’s cycle. But not just in the pond. A summer’s evening, a glass of wine, and a never-ending parade of birds sipping at the water’s edge. Perfect peace.
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Jenny Steel’s ‘Wildlife Ponds’
£3.50
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In the depth’s of winter, thinking of a summers day. Do you picture that day without butterflies ?
We Can’t!
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But would anybody want to !
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While I’m sipping that glass of wine [ O.K. I know that’s two ! ] and watching the birds come to drink, butterflies are invariably hovering all around. They quite like our garden, we have the same taste, and we don’t mind the odd patch of nettles.
Well, when I say taste I mean we like the same sort of plants and flowers - if for different reasons !
Cornflower, Lavender, Marjoram, Mint, Phlox, Forget me Not, Thyme, Verbena, so many colours, and so many fragrances, forming a wonderful mosaic as we watch the butterflies go about the serious business of nectar gathering.
While down by the stream, where many wild flowers grow, it seems an everlasting ‘ Butterfly Ball’ .
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Jenny Steel’s ‘Butterfly Gardening’
£3.50
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Native Wildflowers in Your Garden
So many of our small island’s creatures have a long standing natural bond with our native wildflowers, shrubs and trees.
Jenny’s book ‘Wildflower Gardening’ has really helped me to understand this bond, and persuaded me how essential it is that we do not break it.
Thanks to Adrian Johnson for this photo
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Mind you, this relationship can be carried really too far sometimes !
The small tortoiseshell is a lovely butterfly, but it so spoils it’s kids !
Their caterpillars insist on only eating nettle leaves - and they just have to be warmed by the sun.
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We thank Lawrence Wright for this photo.
Check the Wrights out on www.middlecampscott.co.uk
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It would be like letting Daisy eat ‘Spag. Bol’. every day.
Jenny has spent a long, long time writing and producing this lovingly photographed and so comprehensive little book - small, but so beautifully formed.
This is long tailed tit’s nest is in Jenny’s garden
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As well as showing how easy it is to grow our native flora
- just grow them naturally.
( Quick plug, there is nothing more, er, natural than our Wormcast and Coir Compost ! )
Jenny also clearly tells us which plants are most suitable for which conditions.
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Sunny, shady, wet, dry, sandy, loamy, clay, rocky, grassy, banked, very small, very large and everything in between.
Whatever sort of garden, or combination, you have, she will suggest a native plant to suit you.
Incidentally ( and I’m not going to say ‘plug’ again, the pun would be just too excruciating ) our biodegradable plugs, seedling and little ‘Root Runner’ pots would be ideal for potting on then planting out your wild flower plants.
The book really does cover all you need to know in strengthening this so essential natural bond between flora and fauna in your garden.
Joe in particular has taken it to heart the chapter on ‘Wild Place for Wildlife’.
This wonderful photograph
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He can enjoy this wild garden corner, and secretly feel very virtuous, while doing absolutely nothing !
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and this one, a hover fly landing on a scabious
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and this one too !
Were all taken by ‘Aphid Twix’
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Jenny demonstrates how to attract all these, and so many other beautiful and helpful creatures, and let Joe get away with not doing a stroke
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How ?
Well, it’s all in her thought provoking, meticulously produced, and so practical new book.
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Wildflower Gardening
£9.50
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Jenny’s Nectar Border
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Ox Eye Daisy’s
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