Blog

The Habitat Aid blog is set in Somerset. The blog tries to introduce some of the issues surrounding our natural environment as understood by a non ecologist. You’ll also find some practical “how to” guides. It’s written by Nick Mann, who runs Habitat Aid. Nick is an increasingly curmudgeonly bald middle-aged bloke of familiar type.

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The Garden Jungle (Dave Goulson)
July 28, 2019
I don't think I've written a book review since third form, but felt moved to write briefly about Dave Goulson's The Garden Jungle. Spoiler alert...
- biodiversity
- gardens
- Read more
Wildflowers In Your Garden
June 27, 2019
Malva moschata Do you want a patch of wildflowers in your garden? The right answer! I think they can look lovely; some are long flowering to...
- gardens
- Read more
Wildflower Meadows, Pictorial Meadows - who cares?
June 16, 2019
I went to a fascinating seminar given by Nigel Dunnett last week - he of pictorial meadows. Nigel is one of the leading influencers of landscape d...
- meadows
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In The Meadow
June 2, 2019
We have a two acre plot in Somerset, much of it wildflower meadow. Our garden is driven by a simple principle; it has to look good and do good. Ou...
- meadows
- Read more
Understanding The Cost Of Plants
May 6, 2019
We had a lovely trip up to Yorkshire via East Anglia last week visiting some of our suppliers. And the odd pub, needless to say. Hot Pipe Callu...
- Habitat Aid Ltd.
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Notre Dame and the Great Yellow
April 18, 2019
Like you, I watched appalled as Notre Dame burned. It felt like a complicated metaphor for all sorts of things, and a crushing visceral wound. It ...
- biodiversity
- Read more
Industrial Moonscape v. Green and Pleasant Land
April 7, 2019
Last week entomologist Liam Olds published a fascinating study on invertebrates living on colliery spoil heaps in the south Wales valleys. If you ...
- bees
- biodiversity
- Read more
What's Happening To Our Butterflies And Bees?
March 10, 2019
Insectageddon! scream the headlines. Really? And why should this be? The more bizarre claims on social media I've seen recently range from Electro...
- bees
- butterflies and moths
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Plants For Bees In Late Winter
February 25, 2019
Climate change means that bees are struggling in late winter. Honeybees and bumblebee queens are out and about in the second half of February a...
- bees
- gardens
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Where Have All The Hedgerows Gone?
February 13, 2019
What people need on Twitter is more education and less politics. I had a classically nonsensical conversation with a couple of twitterati over t...
- biodiversity
- hedges
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The Green Blob Fights Back
February 9, 2019
I have avoided politics in my blog as much as I can over the last 10 years. So you can tell I'm pretty upset to break this cardinal rule. For the ...
- biodiversity
- Digressions
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Best Trees For Windbreaks
January 25, 2019
What is a windbreak and what are the best trees for windbreaks? A brief guide, including recommendations for gardens and orchards.
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The Garden Jungle (Dave Goulson)

Wildflowers In Your Garden

Wildflower Meadows, Pictorial Meadows - who cares?

In The Meadow

Understanding The Cost Of Plants

Notre Dame and the Great Yellow

Industrial Moonscape v. Green and Pleasant Land

What's Happening To Our Butterflies And Bees?

Plants For Bees In Late Winter

Where Have All The Hedgerows Gone?

The Green Blob Fights Back

Best Trees For Windbreaks