How garden trends change over time …..

I am so pleased you are enjoying the white clover and bees. I think 60 yrs ago the importance of British natives was 'over ruled/over powered' by the chemical companies, telling us we had to have immaculate lawns and they had just the chemical.

DDT was the cure all for insect pests, then bird populations collapsed as the 'boffins' hadn't realised that DDT sprayed insects were eaten by birds and that meant that thbird egg shells were thinner. Chicks didn't develop as the egg dried out.

There were cases, a few years down the line, in Africa of straw roofs collapsing due to lack of birds and lizards. The birds /lizards normally fed on the caterpillars but their numbers had declined due to eating DDT soaked insects.

We just didn't realise the implications. Sorry for the history lesson but I used to teach this and the students were amazed at the damage done.

Yes I run a gardening club at school and the students are always amazed by the ‘ripple’ effect of the food chains and what happens if one element gets wiped out. Thank you for sharing.

Important stuff , this! And clover keeps a lawn looking green went the grass itself is struggling.

Totally agree.Those Chemical companies have a lot to answer for, but most of us did use them at some point,till we were better informed !

I agree also, I have never used chemicals , was always worried about the stuff. I don't have any clover but would love some. I think your lawn looks lovely Amsterdam.

Thank you all. My lawn looks greener with the clover in it so it’s a win-win with this drought we’re having.

I noticed a lot of the borders shown on GW at GW Live were just as good as mine (Ha ha), with a much more relaxed look and what seems like less structure. I enjoyed 'No Mow May' but there wasn't much wildlife about to share it with. We're seeing a few more bees now but butterflies are virtually non-existant. Very few Martins, swifts etc. Very sad.

I have just been sitting outdoors with a coffee and have seen Bees on a Salvia, a Lavender and a Foxglove. One tiny Moth too. I also saw Bees at 5am today and wonder if they are flying around in the cooler hours of the day ...

A butterfly flew into the conservatory yesterday as I had left the door open without the curtain, but it must have got out again. No bees though and no midges which is worrying as we have a bat roost in our garage roof. Even very few fungus gnats and no bees.

It's nice you are leaving the clover in your lawn, it's a more natural look, and better for the insects.
My cousin was only telling me yesterday he's got yellow birds foot trefoil in his lawn but he enjoys watching the bees buzzing around it and he's leaving it there.

Clover is wonderful for a lawn. It adds nitrogen, suppresses weed growth, and supports the bee population. Initially one sees weed growth on the lawn and the home owners go out and buy herbicides to kill them or contract with a lawn care company which I find a waste. All that has to be done is the mowing and in a month the weeds are gone and the clover appears replenishing the lawn in a yearly natural cycle, all without using poisons.