Having a garden can be a wonderful thing, providing a space for relaxation, recreation, and a connection with nature. To make your garden even more enjoyable and environmentally friendly, you can encourage wildlife to visit by creating a space that is attractive to birds, insects, and other small creatures. In this blog post, we’ll share some tips to help you make your garden more wildlife friendly.
Install a lawn
First thing’s first, if you do not already have one, arrange a lawn installation and get rid of as much concrete as you can. Lawn is much more animal friendly as it will encourage worms and other beasties that can be eaten by bigger animals like birds and hedgehogs,
Give the wildlife a safe shelter
Providing shelter is one of the most important things you can do to attract wildlife to your garden. You can do this by planting shrubs, trees, and hedges, which provide protection from the elements and a safe place to rest. Additionally, you can build birdhouses, insect hotels, and bat boxes to provide even more shelter for wildlife.
Give them something good to eat
Another way to attract wildlife to your garden is by providing food sources. This can include bird feeders, flowering plants that produce nectar, and fruit-bearing trees and shrubs. You can also create a compost bin to provide a food source for insects and small mammals.
Let there be water
A water source is essential for wildlife, as it provides a place for animals to drink and bathe. You can create a simple bird bath or a more elaborate water feature, such as a pond or stream. Just be sure to keep the water clean and fresh, and consider adding plants to help filter the water and provide additional habitat for aquatic wildlife.
Let your garden grow organically
Chemical pesticides can be harmful to wildlife, so it’s best to avoid using them in your garden. Instead, consider using natural methods to control pests, such as companion planting, encouraging beneficial insects, and hand-picking and removing pests.
Provide a variety of habitats
To attract a diverse range of wildlife to your garden, it’s important to provide a variety of habitats. This can include areas of dense vegetation, open lawns, and sunny and shady spots. Additionally, you can create microhabitats by adding logs, rocks, and other structures, which provide homes for insects and small creatures.
Keep plants local
Planting native species is another way to make your garden more wildlife friendly. Native plants are well adapted to local conditions, and they provide essential food and habitat for wildlife. Additionally, they are often more resilient and require less maintenance than non-native plants.
Go wild
Wildflowers are a great way to add colour and interest to your garden, and they also provide food and habitat for wildlife. Consider planting a wildflower meadow, or simply adding a few wildflowers to your existing garden beds.
Don’t let there be too much light
Artificial light can disrupt wildlife patterns and prevent animals from foraging and mating. To minimize the impact of artificial light on wildlife, limit the use of outdoor lighting, and use low-level lighting that is directed downwards.
If you want to attract wildlife to your garden, get out there and make it happen!
Such a great idea! I would love for hedgehogs to come into my garden!
Fab lots of great tips!
We have bird feeders and I love looking out of the window and watching the birds feeding. Great advice.
I have an assortment of well established bushes down one side of the garden, which I do minimally pruning of so that birds and hedgehogs etc have a place to stay!
Lovely ideas for nature
I love seeing wildlife in my in law’s garden. They have a bird feed and very regular get visited by pheasants and wild fowls. It is a very healthy garden with lots of variety of plants and trees to provide shade and even a pond that attracts frogs