20-01-2008, 09:53 PM | #1 |
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Egg
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: South West London
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Torts in the City
As I am preparing for the next tortoise season I wonder how many people keep their little treasures in the middle of cities, in city sized gardens, like me. I envy people who have lots of space and large meadows around, but I'm sure not everyone is so lucky.
For me the main problem is often where to get some fresh, clean weeds from, on a regular basis. What do other city owners do ? Do you give your pretty flowerbeds over to weed growing, or can you buy weeds somewhere? I am also interested in garden designs that are suitable for tortoises, but also for their owners and families to use at the same time. I don't have the space for those special large square purpose built toroise enclosures. Any suggestions or a discussion would be welcome. Thanks Julia |
20-01-2008, 09:58 PM | #2 |
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Location: Kent UK
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Hi Julia
I dont live in the countryside exactly, but I have turned my garden over to weeds. Any plants I want to grow for pleasure are in pots. Weeds also can be grown in containers too.
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20-01-2008, 10:04 PM | #3 |
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Yes Iam afraid like most tort owners iam very proud of my Growing weeds !!
I no longer have nice plant with flowers most of my garden is set out for the torts !! I dont have a big garden by any stretch but its amazing what can be done with a smaller garden !! sharon xx |
21-01-2008, 02:06 PM | #4 |
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Incubating
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: West of Scotland
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Re: Torts in the City
[quote="Julia"]As I am preparing for the next tortoise season I wonder how many people keep their little treasures in the middle of cities, I am also interested in garden designs that are suitable for tortoises, but also for their owners and families to use at the same time.
Hi Julia, its a bit of an issue for us but thankfully me and the torts are winning !! Seriously, I have been accused of turning our back garden into a 'shanty town for tortoises' - there is not a lot I can do about the low dog kennel shed adjoining the coldframe but the actual outdoor enclosure is quite attractive. I do selective planting in there, some of the plants are tortoise foods like campanulas but I also have decorative plants in it that are not poisonous but they don't bother eating such as Hebe. I also have a wildflower meadow area that is lovely in the summer and I've got heaps of tort foods in there such as Cats Ear, clovers, Trefoils etc. I also grow plants in borders that are nice to look at but can also feed such as lamiums, bugle, cuckoo flower. The you have your lavertera which is nice in the summer and the torts eat the flowers, and the honeysuckle as well. I have made my garden sound big - its not, I just do everything intensively in it and its two miles from Glasgow central station. I also planted attractive but thorny hedging all the way round the inside of the high fencing. If you are keeping large species and/ or have adults roaming freely, a certain amount of damage is inevitable.
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21-01-2008, 08:16 PM | #5 |
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Egg
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: South West London
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This sounds a very interesting gardening compromise. Do you have any pictures? I find when I plant something they can eat it will disappear in no time and I have to replant during the season.
Julia |
21-01-2008, 08:33 PM | #6 |
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Hatched
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my neighbour, who writes a gardening column in our local magazine, saw me digging the patch of soil at the front of my house. He asked what i was putting in, adding that i could always ask his advice if i need and to remember its often shady.
His face was a picture when i told him it was going to be dandilions paula
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