Friday 02 – Sunday 04 March 2012
Led by Shirley Boyle
Level O
This new course, arranged in partnership between the FSC and the RSPB, introduces a whole range of ideas and techniques for designing, developing and maintaining gardens, large or small, in the most wildlife-friendly way – for birds, insects, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, and for people to enjoy.
Time will be spent in the newly created RSPB wildlife garden at Flatford to see how ideas and concepts can best be put into practice, and to provide an opportunity to see first hand which plants and habitats work to support garden wildlife. We’ll be exploring lots of simple ideas for using recycled materials in the garden to create habitat, as well as discovering more natural ways of providing food in the garden.
The aim is to understand how gardens can be developed as entire ecosystems with the best possible range of habitat for our garden wildlife, whilst still being a pleasant space for people to enjoy. Gardens occupy 140 000 hectares of land within the UK, and therefore have enormous potential for wildlife, particularly in the face of intensifying agriculture and all the other challenges that wildlife in the wider countryside faces.
About the Tutor
Shirley Boyle has an honours degree in horticulture, and has worked for 10 years in the horticulture and design industry. Driven by an increasing concern for the natural world, two years ago she made a change into conservation. After retraining with the RSPB, she became head gardener at the new RSPB wildlife garden at Flatford. Here, she relishes the opportunity to teach and inspire as many people as possible to begin to make space for wildlife in their gardens and minds.
The course will be comprehensive, informative and good fun, in a very beautiful setting in the heart of Constable Country.
Shirley says she can personally vouch for the food and welcome at Flatford Mill!
Shirley Boyle
Flatford Wildlife Garden Project Officer
Tel: 01206 391153 Mobile: 07803 116592
