Gardeners offered a chance to get a buzz out of wildlife

Birds come in the form of wooden ducks, sculptured ironwork cockerels and dovecotes on sale for the garden while visitors can find out all they want to know about buzzing insects from members of Harrogate and Ripon Beekeepers' Association.

Not only are they on hand with advice but if you actually fancy taking up beekeeping they will provide information about one-day taster courses at Harewood House and Harlow Carr to see if it is something you would like take up.

"Bees really need all the help we can give them," said member Cliff Bailey.

"We have had three very poor summers and bees have been struggling to find enough flying time and enough pollen and nectar.

"In addition to that we have got the Varroa mite, which attacks honey bees, in almost all the hives in England now. We have to treat them regularly but they are becoming resistant and the problem is spreading, so the more colonies we have in different areas the better."

The association is one of the supporters of the recently formed Harrogate Bio-Diversity Action Group which wants to make the Harrogate District a special wildlife haven.

The group has a stand at the show and is hoping local residents will sign a charter promising to help wildlife in their gardens and giving them advice on how they can help reverse the decline in some species.

Chairman Nigel Heptinstall said: "There are more gardens in the country than nature reserves and together gardeners can create much needed wildlife corridors, homes and food resources for wildlife, and they can do so and make their gardens even more attractive than they already are.

"Surely we have a responsibility to leave our world at least as good, if not a much better place, for our children to enjoy than it is at the present.

"It is our legacy to the future and everyone can join in."