Well done to Robert Regan (aged 11) who, since designing a wildlife garden at our AGM back in November at Probus Gardens, has come up with another wonderful three-part design (sorry, we only had enough room to show part one) especially for us to print in Wild Cornwall. I loved the way Robert reused things like pallets and roofing tiles to create features in the garden, and the water features are fantastic. Ponds are an essential part of the wildlife garden as they cater for so many different creatures for drinking, bathing, feeding, living and breeding. The native hedgerows down each side of the garden provide wonderful habitats for wildlife as well as forming a wildlife corridor through which garden wildlife can travel from one part of the garden to another. Having wildflower meadows instead of a tightly mown lawn means

wildlife can find food and shelter right across the garden. Other habitats have been created using special boxes (for birds, hedgehogs and bats). Although the decking is designed mainly as a lovely place for people to sit and enjoy the garden, Robert has created a wonderful insect hotel underneath it (beautifully illustrated in part two) consisting of log piles, reeds, bark, buried flower pots, bricks with holes, and many other places to shelter. Robert's design shows us how the wildlife garden is a place as important to people as it is to wildlife. Some people feel that gardening for wildlife should involve a sacrifice of their own space but from my own experience, and from studying designs like Robert's, one of the most wonderful things about a wildlife garden is that it is a

two-way thing - you can get as much out of it as you put in. Sally Pyner Wildlife Garden at Poldark Mine A grant from the County Environmental Trust has enabled the Trust to create a half-acre sensory wildlife garden on the site of Poldark Mine. From its opening day, 9th April 2001, entry to the Poldark Mine site will be free, so there's nothing stopping you - come along and have a look around! Our thanks go to joint site owner Barry Gamble of Transcroft Ltd, local farmer Mr Michael Lawrence, South West Conservation Contractors, Lorna Crewes and all the volunteers whose help has made this project possible. Sally Pyner