My green roof is looking good!

About three weeks ago, I took delivery of some wild flower turf for my green roof on the hub. It has been doing amazingly well and is going to be looking great for the show. Today, I planted up the three remaining trays as some had not done well in the cold weather early in May. I planted these up with self seeded material from in and around the garden! Daisies, buttercups, vetch, wild geranium, poppies and anything I could get my hands open and dig up... hopefully they will take over the coming weeks and give a good show.


Here are some shots I took today of all the trays now on my patio, for easy watering!

Bird Feeding Central

Some weeks ago now, I made up a corner planter that Forest Garden had donated to me for Gardener's World Live. I planned to use it to make a feeding station and show people how you could create something for a smallish patio garden if you did not have many trees or similar around on which to hang feeders.

I changed it slightly to give height to one corner and used an old bird table that I already had. I rubbed this down and then painted it in the same colour as my hub.... Farrow & Ball 'Lichen'..... it completely transformed it!  With the help of Phil (who has built my hub) we create a lip around one of the platforms for me to create a waterhole.

Today I carved a hollow out of a log and sunk a terracotta dish in there. I then had a go at setting it up as I will at the show.... a couple of ferns and then back-filled with moss to make it look attractive. Coming off of this will also be a Nature's Feast metal bird feeder pole on which I can hang feeders. I will also have a branch mounted from the small green bracket you can see and this will display some home-made feeders.

This is going in the centre of my stand.... I'm hoping it will look really good!

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Testing out a Planter!

This week, I made a visit to the G-Scapes Nursery as I am working with this local garden centre and nursery when at the show. Not only are G-Scapes selling their stunning plants at the show but they also have a show garden, which sounds amazing!!! You must go and take a look if you come to the show.

G-Scapes are going to lend me all the plants I need for my stand and I will plant them up in a similar way to my garden... one planter with hostas and ferns, as I have shaded damp areas and then two others with insect attractants... plants that are rich in nectar and great to attract a range of insects and pollinators to your patch.

Phil Clark brought the planters he had made me down a couple of weeks ago and I took one as a tester, up to the nursery. These planters will be painted up this weekend, but I wanted to gauge what they were going to look like and how many plants I am going to need. 

I absolutely love ferns and hostas.... so I was in HEAVEN at the nursery as it was packed with luscious foliage and I revelled in the fact I could pick and choose what I wanted! All that you see on my stand can be purchased from the G-Scapes plant stand at the show and it is going to look amazing! 

I played around with my fern/hosta bed and then I will return in a week or so to choose all the insect ones as we will have a better idea of what will be flowering for the show. G-Scapes will then transport all my plants (including some trees!) to my stand on the Monday morning and then collect it all and return it at the end of the show (if I haven't run off with it all by then!)

I must say a HUGE thanks to the whole clan at G-Scapes as they really have made a huge difference by helping me out. I will be working with them in lots of ways over the coming year.

Here are some shots to whet your appetite........

Got a bit behind!!

I had very good intentions to keep this blog up to date with all the exciting developments with my journey to Gardener's World Live..... little did I quite appreciate how much work there is involved in planning, creating and making something like this happen! As I already run my main website and blog, plus numerous other things, I have got rather behind in keeping everyone up to date on developments.


With only 3 weeks to go, I am going to attempt a 'whistle-stop' tour of where I have got to, in the hope I can pop a few more things on here in the next few hectic weeks!


Firstly, My WIldlifeKate Hub! Phil Clark up in Tebay is working amazingly hard, creating this truly amazing building and I cannot wait to showcase it at the show. It is going to form the centre-piece of my stand and I just know that Phil is going to do me proud! Phil has also created all the planters that will line my stand and hold up the fencing. As I am inside, I cannot attach stuff onto the floor, so Phil has cleverly designed the planters to suppost the fencing.


Forest Gardens have been extremely generous and have donated the fence panels for the stand and they look amazing!




The hub is having a green roof and I have planted some of it up with a wildflower turf. Sadly, the very cold weather and unexpected late frosts killed off some of the other seeds that I planted in the trays. The wildflower turf is looking brill though and should be great in a few weeks, especially with some warm sun on it over the coming weeks (hopefully!)

In the last few weeks, this has grown tremendously and will look brill on the Hub roof.

It is not just going to be me on the stand at the show..... I am delighted to be able to welcome all sorts of people along!.... (from my press release)

WildlifeKate Guests

Throughout the show, visit the WildlifeKate stand to meet and chat with her and her other guests:

Phil Clark:

Phil has created the WildlifeKate hub from an initial sketch and then worked with Kate to develop a bespoke garden retreat perfect for any wildlife enthusiast. From buildings to bird boxes, Phil can turn your idea into reality! Come and chat with him and find out more. Phil will be on the stand all week.

Barry Grubb:

Bushnell trail cameras play a big part in the wildlife monitoring and filming that WildlifeKate does in her patch. Want to find out more about these fantastic bits of kit? Come and chat with her and Barry (UK Key Manager for Bushnell) and see the products in action. Barry will be on the stand all week.

John Little:

After building his own turf roof house in 1995, John Little has built over 45 green roofed buildings and the Grass Roof Company has become known for these individually designed, innovative small scale structures. A green roof can be created on sheds, porches, outhouses, balconies, garages and small extensions in your garden. See examples of John’s habitat walls and also find out more about the benefits of a  green roof as seen on the WildlifeKate hub. John will be on the stand Friday until Sunday.

Brigit Strawbridge:

Want to find out more about bees and how we can create a bee haven in your garden? Brigit Strawbridge will be on the WildlifeKate stand on Sunday 17^th  so come and find out more about these fascinating insects.

Marion Horscroft:

Meet Marion who, after being animal care experts for many years, realised there was no specialist hedgehog food and knew she had to help. After months of development and nutritional research, she set up her business and website, ‘Spike’s World’ ,which specialises in food and accessories for some of the wildlife we attract  our gardens. Marion will be on the WildlifeKate stand on Friday. Come over and find out more about how you might attract hedgehogs, in particular, to your patch.

... and some great speakers too... so make sure you come and have a listen to some of my speakers....

WildlifeKate Speakers

Nip over to the WildlifeKate stand to hear some of her guests speak more about their specialised subjects and see what tips … and free gifts… you can pick up!

Marion Horscroft – Friday 15^th June 12pm

Would you like to find out more about attracting hedgehogs to you garden? Want to know what and how to feed your fox, badger or hedgehog visitors?  Marion from ‘Spike’s World’ will be on hand to help you find out….

John Little –  Friday 15^th- 2pm & 4pm

 Saturday 16^th - 11am, 1pm, 3pm

Sunday 18^th – 11am, 1pm

Roofs don’t have to be dull and dead. With effort and imagination, we can change these sterile surfaces into green oases.  These would not only provide a haven for wildlife but also transform the view from upstairs windows! There are many opportunities to create living roofs on and around the house and garden – on sheds, porches, outhouses, balconies, garages and small extensions. Even in the inner city, the roofs on housing estates, multiple garages, litterbin sheds and balconies all have the potential to be greened…. find out more and chat to John  on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Brigit Strawbridge – Sunday 17^th June - 2pm

The decline in the bee population is well covered in the media, but it's not only honeybees that are suffering. Brigit Strawbridge explains the importance of (and difference between) bumblebees, honeybees and solitary bees, the myriad problems they face and how we can all help them out in our back gardens and allotments.

I am also amazingly grateful for the companies who have supported me in this venture. A massive thanks to Bushnell and JJVickers (Bushnell UK Distributors) who have sponsored my stand and also to all the other companies who have donated some truly amazing prizes that will be given away throughout the week of the show. There will be some more details soon about how you can win some of this kit!!!

Great Prizes!

Throughout the week on the WildlifeKate stand and through her website, you will have the chance to win some truly AMAZING  prizes!

• ·         The NEW 2012 Bushnell HD Max Trail cam
• ·         Bushnell Birder binoculars, binocular harness and bird feeder
• ·         Bushnell Back Track D-Tour
• ·         Gardenature Side nest box and camera kit
• ·         3 x HandyKam nest box camera kits
• ·         3 x Handykam wildlife camera kits
• ·         Nature’s Feast Bird feeders and food
• ·         Ark Wildlife Hedgehog starter kit including hedgehog house, food and feeding bowls
• ·         Spike’s World Hedgehog food  kit and duck & swan food kit

 There is still SO much to do over the coming weeks.... I am having groups of school kids working on my stand so have lots to organise in that front.

G-Scapes, my local nursery are also at the show and I will be visiting them very soon to collect all the plants.... they have very kindly 'loaned' me all I need and we aim to showcase how you can create nectar-rich areas great for insects and then be able to purchase the plants I am showcasing from their stand. Pop over and see their show garden at the show too!

Anna at Francesca Marketing has been working with me, in conjunction with JJ Vickers and has helped in the creation of all my signage... I am not going to give it all away, but here is a little flavour of what you might see......

... and then there have been new business cards to design and print up....

      Hopefully that will give you a flavour of where we are up to!

      Added to that mix of excitement, Gardener's World are filming here in my garden next week and then will come and film on my stand at the show. The TV programme films lots of footage from the show, so if you can't come and say hello yourself, then watch out for me on the TV programme!

I     It is all so exciting and rather daunting at the moment, but with all the wonderful help and support from family and friends, it is beginning to come together!