A Green Space | Sofia Hayes |

Last weekend, my brother and I decided we wanted to give the Newt population of our garden some more space for their new families.  We have done loads of small projects before, like making “bee hotels” and “campsites for ants”, which were all big successes!  We didn’t want to do any damage to the natural habitat, but we did also want it to look pretty, so some basic weeding helped! We placed some large rocks around the pond, to provide damp, cool shelter for our amphibian friends to be able to socialise with others, away from the eyes of predators. We used fresh soil and also some recycled top soil from near-by molehills. Moles can be really good gardeners, they give us loads of very fertile soil for growing.  We are going to get lots of wildflower seeds, mix them together, and scatter them randomly around the edge of the pond. It’s a bit like ‘pick and mix’, we’re not sure what will pop up! We’re hoping for loads of beautiful colours to bring in loads of insects, butterflies, bees, beetles and bugs, it will be a very diverse community! The newts return every year to this same spot, now it is a 5 star paradise hotel for them!  I love gardening because planting more trees gives us lots more fresh air to breathe. It helps the environment to be the best it can be! There are so many beautiful and different species of animals and plants on our doorsteps. We have foxes, pheasants, woodpeckers, kingfishers and deer. We have pines, monkey puzzles, lavender, brambles and bamboo! Giant Hawk-moths, Woodlouse families and schools, snails and slugs, frogs and logs full of webs! I like to read stories about fairies and pixies and to imagine being ‘mini’ with all these creatures being my size. We have to relate to them, they are just as important to our planet as we are.  In the summer we like to pick berries and other fruit from our trees. If you go on a long walk through the countryside, its like having your own buffet! Apples and strawberries, pears, plums and raspberries, although you sometimes have to fight the bumblebees! Just to be outside, makes me feel free and lets my imagination play. Sometimes, we go camping in our own garden! We love to sleep on our trampoline,  we spend all night staring at the stars and watching them move and dance around, and the occasional spotlight of a shooting star. Just this week, we saw Venus, Jupiter and the Moon line up on the sky-stage. So open your eyes, take a look outside. Even in your own garden, a universe awaits!