Gardening And Nature
Here you can watch our videos about gardening, nature, and animals!
Planting a Closed Terrarium
If you don't have a lot of space but still want to have a range of plants, you can try making a closed terrarium with some small plants.
Use plants that do well in wet environments, our local weeds are great for this! You can also include moss for texture.
If you use soil from outside, you'll probably have some beasties populating your terrarium too!
Our New Wildflower Patch!
We've planted a new wildflower meadow here at Uppertunity, to encourage a wider range of insect pollinators 🐞
A pollinator is any animal that carries pollen from one flower to another. Bees and butterflies are the most well known!
Did you know that there are many other pollinators too? Hoverflies, lacewings, moths, some beetles, wasps and many other species of flies also contribute to pollination!
A wider range of flowers encourages a wider range of insect pollinators; it increases biodiversity!
Eco-systems with high biodiversity are less vulnerable then those with low biodiversity, as they are better protected from collapse if one species suddenly dies out.
We rely on insects to pollinate the plants we eat, so helping them helps us too!
花見 Hanami
Tonight we're sharing a springtime tradition from Japan!
Hanami (花見, lit; flower viewing) is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the temporary beauty of the cherry blossom (桜, sakura) tree. 🌸
People meet with friends and family to spend several hours just appreciating the flowers and each others company, as both won't last forever!
There are lots of cherry trees in Dundee, so you can have your own flower viewing session, either by yourself or with a couple of friends!
Spending Time with Nature
Today's activity is about spending time with nature, and using it to calm yourself and find balance.
Danielle is taking you on another tour around our gardens, telling you about what we've been doing and some new activities we'll be starting when we can!
Windowsill Herb Gardening
Today Danielle is demonstrating how to plant herbs for a windowsill garden 🌿
You will need:
A container to plant in, can be a flower pot, or a clean jar, a tin can, an old cup, a bottle cut in half.
Small rocks for a drainage layer.
Seeds
Soil and compost.
Something to label the pot with
Planting your own herbs brings a bit of routine and greenery into your home, as they need regular care to grow 💗
Some seeds like to be buried, while others need to sit on the surface to start growing. Check first!
Herbs should be watered a little bit frequently, keeping the soil a little damp but not wet. They need a window that gets a good amount of sun a day!
Bug Hunt Exercises
Today we have a fun outdoor spring activity for you! Getting out in the fresh air and engaging your curiosity is great for your mental and physical health.
Hunt around a garden or park for these bugs, and do the exercise we've demonstrated! See if you can find any others, and make up your own activity for it.
Growing Potatoes
This evening we're showing you you to plant and grow potatoes! 🥔
Growing your own food is rewarding, and helps save a bit of money.
You can buy "seed potatoes" which are grown specifically from seed for replanting and are checked for diseases, or try planting store bought potatoes that have eyes, or have sprouted. For best results, plant potatoes that have sprouted!
Spotting Spring Flowers
Danielle and Cat are out in Baxter Park to explore and see what spring flowers they can find.
Hunting for different flowers is a good way to get exercise and engage your mind and senses looking for different colours. When you're out looking for flowers, look where you're treading in case you stand on any.
If you see a particularly pretty one, its really important that you don't pick or uproot it from the wild, just take a picture!
How does snow form?
Have you ever wondered where snow comes from? ❄️
Snowflakes form around tiny specks of dust in the atmosphere. When they get too big to stay airborn, they fall as snow!
Though a sudden heavy snowfall can seem like the end of global warming, it could be a sign of rising temperatures.
It may not seem like our winters are getting warmer, but they are getting wetter. For a quick, heavy snowfall, there has to be a lot of moisture in the atmosphere.
The warmer the ocean gets, the more water evaporates from it. Warmer air is better at supporting water vapour then cold.
As this vapour rises, it gets blown over land by air currents, and cools down again. If it gets very cold, it may fall as snow instead!
Herb Garden Tour
Today we're taking you on a slightly wet and windy tour of our herb garden, to see all the great herbal plants we're growing this year.
Winter Garden Update January 2021
This year we'll be growing lots of different fruits and vegetables: all kinds of berries, tomatoes, spinach, potatoes, peppers, courgettes and pumpkins.
We're growing lots of different herbs in our sensory garden, and lots of bee friendly flowers, to encourage pollinating insects into our garden and give them a place to thrive.
Our front garden is being prepped for our new fruit trees as well!
Dundee Birdspotting - Stobsmuir Ponds
If you're out for a walk at Stobsmuir Ponds, there are lots of different birds to see!
Getting a little fresh air and stretching your legs is a great way to clear your head. Remember to be safe, and dress warmly in winter!
Winter Bird Feeder
Make a bird feeder out of peanut butter, bird seed and breadcrumbs!
Easy Windowsill Gardening
Grow some plants in your window for a bright view!
Hibernation
Wondering where many animals go in winter? Many of them sleep over winter!
I'm not a spider!
Despite their appearance, harvestmen are only distantly related to spiders!
Quirky Pets
If you could have any animal for a pet, what would you have?
Keeping a pet can make a big difference to mental health, and there are lots of different shapes and sizes of animal that we raise and look after.
Have a look at some of ours!
Where Are Reindeer From?
Reindeer a species of deer native to the Arctic Circle. In North America they're called "Caribou".
Growing Places 2020
We had a busy year in our Growing Places gardening group!
This is our garden project developing horticultural and life skills, providing a therapeutic outlet and encouraging general interest in the environment and self sufficiency.
Exploring Baxter Park
This week Cat explored Baxter Park. Best watched with headphones, to hear all the sounds of the park. How many different trees, and different dogs can you spot?
Red Cabbage Indicator
This week, we've done a chemistry experiment using red cabbage.
Red cabbage juice turns different colours depending on if its in an acidic, a neutral, or an alkaline solution.
You can use it to test lots of common things around the house, like drinks, cooking ingredients and cosmetics.
Remember to be careful when handling chemicals, and have fun!
Quick and Easy Bird Feeder
Make a quick bird feeder to help small birds survive winter.
Dundee's Nature Prescription
by Dundee Green Health Partnership
Here is a range of activities available to inspire people to go outdoors and get some fresh air through out the year. Activities are local, inclusive and free.
Cookie Policy
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies.