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The study of just one Leicester garden designed to attract wildlife recorded more than 2,200 animal and plant species.

A species of lichen - an organism that is a combination of fungus and algae - never previously recorded, along with an extremely rare moth which only breeds on juniper bushes, were discovered by the Bugs (Biodiversity in Urban Gardens in Sheffield) project.

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For ants inside the home, use a talc-based baby powder.

"It has to be Johnson & Johnson," Cook said. "Nobody's sure just why, but other brands don't work."

We asked you to design a garden which is a relaxing green space for you, your family and friends, uses natural resources in a sustainable way and encourages a wide range of plants and wildlife.

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Threatened flora

Among plants not before classified as at risk but now threatened are:

Ranunculus arvensis - corn buttercup (critically endangered). A very attractive annual buttercup with small yellow flowers, it came to Britain with Roman farmers.

Papaver argemone - prickly poppy (vulnerable). A small, brightly flowered poppy which has not yet made the jump to waysides and road verges as the common poppy has.

Silene noctiflora - night-flowering catchfly (vulnerable). Its creamy-white flowers are semi-closed during the day, but at night reopen fully and emit a strong scent to attract insects.

Astragalus danicus - purple milk-vetch (endangered). Found along the east coast from Scotland to Lincoln and East Anglia.

Euphrasia anglica - eyebright (endangered). Its tiny white flowers are blotched with yellow and purple like a bruised eye. Compresses and tinctures from it were used to treat many eye disorders.

Monotropa hypopitys - yellow bird's-nest (endangered). An odd-looking perennial herb that lives on dead and decaying plant material in the soil.

Polystichum lonchitis - holly fern (vulnerable). An evergreen alpine fern that is small but long-lived. Small populations in Wales and the Lake District; more frequent in the Scottish uplands and western Scotland.

Cuscuta epithymum - dodder (vulnerable). An annual, rootless, twining and scrambling herb which is a parasite, attaching itself to its host by small suckers that remove water and nutrients.

Gentianella campestris - field gentian (vulnerable). A biennial or annual herb with attractive, purply-blue flowers. It is locally common in northern England and Scotland, but absent from most of south and central Britain.

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We'd like to build up a source of local knowledge about wildlife in gardens, and this is where we need YOU. You can provide us with valuable information about the wild creatures and plants in your garden. All you need to do is register and join our conversation.

Labels: wildlife garden

The recipe for rucola or rocket pesto comes with a useful tip: “Rucola is a robust weed and you should be able to find some growing on the fringes of the car park in front of the job centre.”

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