Jenny Steel is an Oxford University educated Ecologist, experienced lecturer and tutor in adult education, a professional gardener, photographer and former plant nurserywoman, with more than 20 years experience of writing about and teaching wildlife gardening, organic gardening, plant folklore and natural history topics.  As an Ecologist she has contributed to a variety of scientific publications.

Jenny is a keen photographer. Photographing plants, birds, other wildlife, gardens and landscapes is an important part of her work.  Her pictures have been published in many magazines and newspapers and on websites, including the website of Butterfly Conservation, as well as being used to illustrate her own books and articles.  You can see some of her pictures here and on Flikr

Her two acre wildlife garden is in the South Shropshire Hills.

Jenny is also a Director of the bird food company Just Add Birds.  Find out more about us, and the birds you can attract to your garden, at www.justaddbirds.co.uk

You can also read all Jenny's information about garden birds in the JustAddBirds species guide

COURSES in 2012  Jenny will be teaching wildlife gardening courses in Gloucestershire.  Further information will appear here when available

MEDIA Jenny has appeared on BBC Gardener’s World with Alan Titchmarsh and presented a series of items on the BBC 2 gardening show, How Does Your Garden Grow. She has also been a regular contributor to BBC Radio Oxford.  She is currently working with  the double Emmy Award winning film company Panache Productions, who are making a film about her wildlife garden.

COURSES AND SEMINARS  Jenny has taught  courses and seminars for a variety of organisations and companies including Oxfordshire County Council, the London Wetland Centre, The Royal Horticultural Society, the Adult Residential Colleges Association, The Snowdonia National Park Study Centre, Grand Designs Live, and the companies Wiggly Wigglers, Haiths and Ernest Charles.

TALKS  Jenny gives illustrated seminars and talks on wildlife gardening to wildlife groups and gardening clubs and can also provide one day training events.  These events can include book signings.  Contact Jenny if you would like a talk for your group.

 WEBSITES  Jenny has written for the websites of many organisations, newspapers and companies including Natural England, The Guardian, Haiths, Ernest Charles, and Growing Native.  She also writes factual and promotion material for a variety of companies including Wiggly Wigglers, Haiths, Ernest Charles and HabitatAid.  Jenny has worked as a consultant for Usborne Books and Wykeland.

''At the age of eight I was counting and identifying the birds in my parents back garden in the middle of Oxford.  Robins nested in the climbing roses and swifts in the roof of our terraced house.  I threaded 'monkey nuts' onto cotton to hang from the washing line and enjoyed the antics of the blue tits.  Things are not so different now!  Recording the birds in my current garden is still a passion as is feeding them - hence my involvement with JustAddBirds.''

Jenny's particular interests are plant and insect interactions, our native birds, butterflies and moths, and of course wildflowers and garden wildlife of all sorts.  She is passionate about wildflower meadows, wildlife ponds, attracting garden birds, wildlife friendly herbaceous borders and growing her own vegetables. 

CONTACT If you wish to contact Jenny with regard to her writing or teaching, or you would like to use her photographs, please email jenny@wildlife-gardening.co.uk  or telephone 01588 673019.

  © Text and photographs Jenny Steel 2012