Enjoy these pictures of our readers beautiful, wildlife-friendly front gardens.

And please send your own pictures to us!

In July 2019 our regular contributor Eileen Peck asked: “What is happening to our front gardens?”

Whilst Eileen can understand the reasons, she is becoming increasingly concerned about the number of front gardens that are paved from fence to fence. Attractive planting is not only something to admire as we stroll past, it is also a lifeline for our wildlife, particularly our pollinators who are continually being deprived of habitats and wildlife-friendly corridors.

Do read the article. You might like to print off the ‘Thank You’ cards that Eileen has provided so we can give them to people with lovely front gardens, or pop them through their letterboxes. I think that’s a lovely gesture!

At Healthy Life Essex, we also want to encourage and show our appreciation for people with lovely front gardens, especially if you do have hard-standing but have managed to maintain some wildlife-friendly planting areas.

Please email us with your pictures. We can add them anonymously if you wish, but it would also be lovely if you can provide a bit of information.

Eileen Peck says: “Behind Thundersley Common there is a small estate of houses many of which have paved-over front gardens to make room for the cars.  But, among them, there is the occasional ‘green’ front garden where wildlife can visit or make a home.” 

One such is Sue’s which is a riot of colour in Springtime with a huge lilac tree, borders just bulging with colourful flowers and a bench beside the small lawn. But Sue still has room to park the cars.

Eileen says:

A bungalow in a quiet residential road in Thundersley has resisted the paved-over look and maintains a very pretty front garden which caught my attention and put a smile on my face last week.

The front garden is small but in spite of the driveway there was room for a lovely lawn backed by a flower border, some tubs of flowers and hanging baskets.  To add to the picture the householders have even planted a small flower bed in the grass verge outside their house.  When I asked if the Council workmen were happy mowing round the bed, the reply came ‘they don’t have to, we mow it ourselves!’

Not only does Fiona in Thundersley have an attractive front garden but she has also planted loads of fruit and veg. Fiona explained:

“A few years ago I mulched over the silly pocket-handkerchief lawn and planted potatoes. Now there is an apricot tree, rhubarb, raspberries and gooseberry. Lots of herbs and flowers and veg and flower seedlings ready to go in. I love it 😊”

Pam in New Thundersley has a front garden full of colour and wildlife-friendly planting.

Our first pictures were from Jackie in Clacton-on-sea who says:

No block paving for me, grass and flowers all the way!”