Talks

We are professional wildlife gardeners and host ‘The Wildlife Garden Podcast‘. We really enjoy sharing our knowledge about organic and wildlife gardening, examples of our talks are below. If you are a member of a gardening or wildlife group and would like to book us as a speaker, visit the Contact page to get in touch.

Gate between hedge, surrounded by flowers
  • What is wildlife gardening? An overview of how ‘wildlife gardening’ is different, why it is important and how to get started, with simple, practical advice for every garden. Best suited to beginner gardeners and wildlife watchers.
  • How to plan a wildlife garden. A step-by-step guide to plan and adapt gardens to benefit wildlife, from the soil upwards. More detailed than ‘What is wildlife gardening?’ this talk is more suited to people who already have an interest in the subject.
  • What does organic really mean? The world of organics can be confusing. This talk simplifies what we mean by organic in a garden context and gives practical advice that makes organic gardening easier, referencing fertilisers and pest and disease control. Best suited for gardeners new to organic methods.
  • Organic products…what works and where to find them? A detailed delve into the world of organic compost, fertilisers and pest control. Based on our extensive experience, we can identify what works and what to avoid. Best suited to gardeners already interested in organic methods.
  • Wildflower meadows at home. A guide to whether wildflower meadows can work in normal gardens. Detailed, practical advice identifying the features gardeners should be looking for (soil type, aspect etc) before starting a meadow project and how to go about it. For gardens not suitable for a meadow, we will give alternatives that are good for wildlife. Best suited to those who already have an interest in wildlife gardening.
  • Natives vs non-natives – which is best? A perennial question in gardening for wildlife. We give our take on whether we should plant more or less UK native species, how important they are for wildlife, and give a range of examples of ‘garden worthy’ native species that may be grown in a garden border. Suitable for all.
  • Planting for pollinators. A beginners guide on what to plant to support pollinating insects. Suggestions of commonly available species and an overview of which plant families are most beneficial. Includes an overview of the sort of pollinating insects we might expect to find in a garden and how they can help gardeners with pollination and pests.
  • How to help garden birds. Many gardeners put out food for birds but would like to know what more they can do. This talk will give detailed advice from what size bird boxes to put and where, the importance of cleaning boxes and feeders, options for leaving out water and much more. With reference to the latest scientific advice, we provide examples of best practice in supporting garden birds. Suitable for all.
  • The What, Where and How of garden Mulches. Mulch is a much misunderstood subject and incorrectly applied can do more harm than good. In this talk we give the A-Z of mulches available to gardeners and which type is best suited for a range of situations. We give practical advice of how to apply mulches and include a section on its importance for ‘no dig’ gardening. Suitable for all.
  • The low-maintenance organic garden. We answer the question ‘can I have a low maintenance garden without using chemicals’. With practical advice and design tips, we focus on some common mistakes and how to avoid them. Suggestions of planting schemes will be given alongside a plea to allow a certain level of ‘messiness’ in the garden for the sake of wildlife, which further reduces the amount of maintenance work. Suitable for all.

FAQs

Do you charge for talks? Yes. We charge a fixed rate plus travel time if outside of Nottingham and surrounding areas.

Do you require a projector or screen? In general, yes. In order to share pictures of gardens and wildlife we have found along the way, use of a projector and screen is very helpful. If not available, we will try to make the talk as engaging as possible by bringing along demonstration items.