Garden designer Tom Massey on why an insect is a human’s best friend
Everybody likes it when butterflies grace their garden. Wasps, flies, beetles and ants? Not so much. Scourges of the summer barbecue, these less popular insects are likely tolerated at best, if not actively rooted out.
I’ve never heard anybody react positively to finding a wasp nest under construction in their eaves, or remark on the beauty of a fly as it lands on their al fresco lunch.
Yet according to Tom Massey – designer of the Royal Entomological Society (RES) Garden at Chelsea Flower Show (May 23-27 2023) – our attitudes need to change.
Working closely with the RES, Massey has shaped his Chelsea design to reflect the intricate relationship between humans and insects, together with the vital importance of preserving the habitats of the latter.
In tandem with this project, and in collaboration with the Royal Horticultural Society, he has also published a book, Resilient Garden: an in-depth guide to cultivating sustainable and biodiverse gardens for a changing climate. Time to unearth a few tips...
Could you tell me more about this garden you’ve designed for Chelsea?
It’s inspired by brownfield sites, areas of land that previously had human development but have been left to go wild.
These are some of the most biodiverse hotspots in the UK because they have a mosaic landscape, with lots of different types of materials – crushed bricks, sand, piles of rubble and so on.
The garden will feature things like habitat panels made from dead wood, gabion walls filled with broken pots or crushed concrete, cut logs, bamboo – all of them different types of habitat that can support insect life.
After Chelsea, it will be relocated permanently to International Quarter London (IQL) at Stratford, East London, as a publicly accessible garden and a place for ongoing insect research and education.
Why focus on insect habitats?
Insects are the little engines that run the world. Pollinators are vital for food production.
If they disappear, so does our food.
Right now they’re in a global decline driven by loss of habitat, overuse of pesticides and just a lack of human care.
More broadly, how would you like to see gardening practices adapted for a changing climate?
I think it’s quite short-sighted to say that planting schemes should use only native plants. Non-natives, from areas like the Mediterranean, can be very tolerant of drought and may deal with climate change more efficiently than some of our native species.
Having a biodiverse mix of plants from all over the world – though obviously not invasive species – can extend the flowering season and boost the resilience of the planting scheme, creating an exciting atmosphere here at home.
Tell me about your new book...
A lot of it ties in with what we’ve been discussing: supporting biodiversity, designing resilient planting schemes that can deal with the more extreme weather we’ve been facing.
It’s full of ideas, such as how to harvest rainwater to deal with future droughts or hosepipe bans.
Do you feel hopeful that, by changing our gardening habits, we can reverse some of the damage already done to the environment?
I’m asked that quite a lot. It’s so easy to feel completely overwhelmed and wonder: ‘Even if I change my own garden, will it really make any difference, given the scale of the problem we face?’
But if we all make small changes, or implement more sustainable techniques, it can lead to huge effects globally.
Make your garden insect-friendly:
Go organic and pesticide-free
“It’s about creating a natural balance in the food chain – encouraging beneficial insects means less need for chemical control. Natural predators will eat the less desirable insects. Ladybirds, hoverfly larvae and parasitic wasps, for example, all eat aphids and can be readily encouraged into the garden.”
Don’t tidy up
Turning a blind eye to the messier parts of your garden provides useful shelter for insects “Opt for a looser, more relaxed style of gardening. Leave some areas untouched and celebrate the natural order of things, rather than rush to cut back.”
Get weedy
“We must rethink our hatred of weeds. Dandelions, for example, are one of the earliest sources of pollen and nectar and are among the fastest developing UK plants – seed to flowering plant in just 10 days. Nettles are the preferred plant for the peacock butterfly to lay its eggs, providing a key food source for the developing caterpillars.”
Accept all types of insects and invertebrates, attractive or not
Our gardens need them to thrive. “Wasps and ants are often seen as the enemy. Yet they are really important in breaking down material and form a valuable food source for other garden animals, such as frogs and birds.”
Create a range of habitats
“Choose permeable, natural hard landscaping materials such as dry stone walls and woven willow fences.”
