Category: Tips and advice

Water of Life

, by Laura Healy Smith
These mute swans are just one species who benefit from living at St Maurice’s Pond (c) L Healy Smith   It’s been amazing to have such a run of sunny weather of late, hasn’t it? Sun is great in so many ways: it makes us feel happier and gives us vital vitamin D; it’s fantastic for insects like butterflies, damselflies,…

Community gardens support wildlife in Cumbernauld

, by Laura Healy Smith
One of the bug hotels at Craigieburn Community Garden (c) Kate Fromings Community Garden Week runs from 3rd – 9th April so, today, we are handing our blog over to Kate Fromings from Craigieburn Community Garden for an update on what’s been happening there… In Cumbernauld, there is an issue with the lack of native plants within the town’s green…

Soil is more than just dirt

, by Camilo Brokaw
March 13-19 is UK Compost week and, if you’re not already excited about the magic of making compost, hopefully by the end of this blog you will be. Healthy soils need a world full of microorganisms and organic matter. This is a world of living breathing things, cooperating and competing in search of food, allies, and safety.  When we help…

Hello again, hedgehogs!

, by Laura Healy Smith
March is here and that means many things for nature but, this week, we are all about the hedgehogs, who should soon be emerging from hibernation. These prickly nocturnal characters are one of the few species of mammal to enter hibernation in the UK – alongside the dormouse and our native bats.  Hedgehogs go into hibernation around October or November…

Bee helpful, save our pollinators!

, by Katie Brown
You know it’s spring when insects start to appear. I wasn’t too thrilled to be chased by a wasp the other week but I’ve enjoyed seeing their much friendlier cousin the bumblebee emerge from hibernation. The giant bees you see in early spring are queens. Once the temperature is warm enough, the queen will emerge from the hole in the…

If you build they will come!

, by Cumbernauld Living Landscape
It was National Nest Box Week last week! A sure sign that spring is on the way. And it’s not just we humans that are feeling that spring is in the air. You may have noticed that the birds are getting more and more vocal? The males are staking out their territories ready to attract a mate and ensure they…

Wreaths – more than just Christmas decorations!

, by Cumbernauld Living Landscape
  Christmas is a time when we often see wreaths hanging as decorations, but where did this tradition come from? It may surprise you that wreaths have been part of many different cultures throughout history. Wreaths were made by ancient Germanic and Scandinavian people to mark the 12-day festival that celebrated the Winter Solstice – the shortest day of the…

To Bread or not to Bread: A Guide to Feeding Your Local Swans

, by Katie Brown
St Maurice’s Pond is an excellent spot to see new life this summer. Lots of different birds are currently raising their young; mallards, tufted ducks, swans, coots, moorhens and many more. Feeding and watching waterfowl is a good wellbeing activity and is known to help with anxiety and depression. But how can we ensure we are feeding them the right…

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