Wildlife Gardening

As mentioned in one of my previous posts, I got around to creating my mini-wildlife pond. It's certainly not going to win any prizes for being beautiful, but the birds and hedgehogs appreciate it, and that's all that matters to me :-)
So here are a few pictures: First of all I dug the hole for the "pond" to go in.

Freshly dug hole

Then I placed the "pond", no more than the base of a Jenny rat cage, into the hole.

Looking good

Then to fill the hole back in around the pond. I added a bit of water and some stones, and saw no need to clean the pond out as it is a wildlife pond, after all.

New mini-pond

The water level isn't too high, you might notice, mainly because I don't want to be responsible for the drowning of any hedgehogs. I'm not expecting a queue of frogs to appear and make it their home, although they may well might, but just to serve as a drinking and bathing station for any local wildlife is the idea.
By the way, I got this idea from a forum I regularly visit: www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk.

I know I get a few hedgehogs visiting, so I also used the area around it as a sort of "Hedgehog Inn". Here is a "before" picture:

As you can see, it's currently a dumping ground for all the plant pots and seed trays in the garden. And here are the "after" pictures:

Plants from B & Q. Also found this concrete half-pipe which I figured would be a nice shelter for any creatures

Hedgehog Inn. Hoping the ivy will grow over the next few years

The black bowl in the Inn is filled with hedgehog food each night. Although I've taken several "Hedgehog Patrols" through my garden at night, I've yet to see any hedgehogs using it, but the evidence seems to be there. I may have to start charging.

Decided to have a walk around my garden, as my plants are finally starting to grow. I love this time of year!

My potatoes are doing well.

These are Charlotte salad potatoes.

 This is the first year I've grown potatoes in the bags. I'm only an amateur gardener but heard that you're not supposed to grow potatoes in the same place in the following year, due to disease? Ok well these seem to be doing ok anyway lol. And more room in the garden for new veg!

Sweetcorn.

 Now it's the first year I've tried growing sweetcorn. I figured this has to be kept warm, so recycled a plastic container from Morrisons no less, mmm love their chocolate clusters. Anyway, gave the tub a wash, pierced some holes in the bottom and filled it with compost and sweetcorn seeds. I only kept the lid closed before the seeds had germinated; now for ventilation I place a little garden cane, only a tiny thin one, laid down between the lid and the container to keep the lid slightly open. This seems to work anyway.

Brussels Sprouts planted in the ground. I also have "back-up" sprouts in pots

Onions

Strawberry plant, one of three

Other things I've planted include carrots, spring onions, broccoli and peas. I don't use any chemicals whatsoever on my plants, I trust in the ladybugs, hedgehogs and birds to do their work. And funnily enough, I have never had any major problems with pests. That said, I have only been growing my own for a few years now so maybe I have it all to come :-/