GO NATIVE IN GARDEN.

We are very fortunate in this country to have a varied and beautiful selection of native trees and shrubs, which protect and enhance our environment.

Native plants and trees are the backbone of our wildlife's food chain and as woods and hedgerows disappear, so too do the familiar creatures of the British landscape.

The destruction of our native plants is causing the demise of our native species.

With this in mind, this week I have decided to encourage you to cultivate more native plants in your gardens to help conserve our unique British environment.

Planting native trees and shrubs not only helps to encourage and preserve native wildlife but they can also mean less work in the garden too!

n Local plants are adapted to local soils and climate and often have lower maintenance requirements.

n Many will grow in difficult areas of the garden with little or no fertilizer.

n Once established, native plants usually withstand long periods of dry weather.

n Local plants are the essence of regional identity and preserve the character of the countryside.

There are a myriad of native trees and shrubs in Britain. The most common include ash, beech, oak, yew and silver birch. There is also the crab apple, ivy, honeysuckle, hawthorn and bramble.

Beech thrives in chalk and limestone uplands and in slightly acid sandy soils. It can grow up under the shade of any native tree except yew but very few trees will grow under the dense shade cast by beech, so it can easily become dominant. Wyevale sells beech as a hedging plant as this is more appropriate for most gardens.

Ash is a member of the olive family and the last native tree to come into leaf.

It is commonly found in woods, scrub and hedgerows, particularly on damp, alkaline soils, throughout England.

Ash is a fast-growing tree that can take over, so be sure to trim the tree back regularly to manage its growth.

Ideal for small gardens, the crab apple or Malus is covered in clouds of pretty white flowers which open from delicate pink buds in May. The crab apple is a small, densely-branched deciduous tree which seldom grows taller than 8m.