Wildlife habitats and wildflowers.....

We have a very large gravel drive. I spend (what seems like a life time) down on my hands and knees removing weeds. Last year, I decided to use it, as a host for plants that would never survive in my heavy clay soil.

I have always wanted to have this native miniature thistle in my garden. The gravel is a perfect situation for her. A few seeds scattered in spring has produced several plants and they are now in bloom.

Carlina vulgaris......... the Carline thistle. Each head is like a miniature sunburst.

They open in dry weather and close when it is damp, acting like flora barometers.

I am sure she will drop her seeds on the gravel and bring charm to the drive.

Today has been cloudy and cool, so I decided to tidy up the beetle mound.

When creating some new borders a couple of years ago I did not know what to do with the turf I had removed. I stacked it grass to grass, soil to soil, and it has now turned into loam, apart from the top layer. It is planted with ferns, hosta, and solomons seal.

I decided to extend the bed in front of the mound to make it look more finished but still be beneficial to the creatures that are now living in it. Bumble bees have a nest in the mound. They live in a hollow of one of the large logs....beautiful, don't you think?

Anyway, after a couple of hours this is the result. I still have a little more work to do but all in all I am pleased with it.

Have a peaceful and happy week.....