Wild encounters
Last week I witnessed a murder. A male pheasant, a beautiful bird, ventured on the road in my village. I watched in horror as a white van ploughed straight into it. Carnage!
English country roads are, sadly, littered with a variety of dead animals from birds to badgers, rabbits and foxes. But the threat goes far beyond roadkill. Much of Britain’s wildlife is in the grip of a disturbing decline.
A landmark State of Nature report last year revealed almost one in six of 10,000 species studied are at risk of disappearing from the country. This includes 43 per cent of bird species, 31 per cent of amphibians and reptiles, 26 per cent of mammals and 54 per cent of flowering plants. I was struck, on returning to England in 2022 after 28 years in Hong Kong, by the lack of bees and butterflies.
Development, climate change, pesticides and pollution have taken their toll. The natural habitat of many species is shrinking. Awareness has grown and there are now national efforts to preserve vulnerable species.
Those with gardens are encouraged to ensure they are wildlife friendly. Such gardens have emerged as a potential lifesaver, with more than 20 million of them in Britain. One of the biggest gardening chores is digging up weeds. But the Royal Horticultural Society is trying to rebrand weeds as hero plants. Weeds, including thistles and brambles, featured in a third of the show gardens at last year’s Chelsea Flower Show.
The same applies to wild flowers. Next month will be “No Mow May”, when lawns are supposed to be left alone. The campaign was launched by charity Plantlife in 2019.
This allows not only the grass to grow but also daisies, buttercups and dandelions. It might not look as tidy as a manicured lawn, but it has its own aesthetic appeal. The flowers, weeds and longer grass make for a more biodiverse garden. Since the 1930s, a staggering 97 per cent of British wild flower meadows have been lost.
The trend is perfect for the lazy gardener. No mowing, no weeding. Just let your garden grow.
Hong Kong has its own wildlife issues, with wild boars and monkeys making headlines. I loved the wandering water buffalo when living in Mui Wo, the dragon flies warning of a typhoon, the blue-banded bee and the wild ginger flowers. I now have to rely on a diffuser for that heady scent. Long may the wildlife be preserved.
Meanwhile, I watch the grass in my garden grow and drive carefully for the safety of road-crossing pheasants.