Making Your Garden Wildlife Friendly

It is important to encourage wildlife in your gardens, as everything has its place in the process of growing, whether as a companion plant, or encouraging pollinators, or providing a home for local creatures! Here are some of our top tips to have a wildlife friendly garden!

Let the grass grow – if you have the space, leave patches of longer grass on your lawn and by letting some of your lawn grow you will make space for many plant and insect species. 

Mowing the lawn only once every four weeks gives ‘short-grass’ plants like daisies and white clover a chance to flower in profusion, boosting nectar production tenfold.

Bird box and feeding – Birds are an important part of your garden’s ecosystem. Help them thrive by creating bird boxes and putting out bird food in winter. Situate boxes and feeders well out of reach of cats and keep feeders clean.

Grow climbers – Climbers are great for covering walls and fences, providing hiding and nesting places. Flowers such as honeysuckle and ivy are great for pollinators, or consider runner beans or peas to utilise your space even more.

Build an insect hotel – Leave piles of rocks, twigs and rotting wood in your garden. These will provide shelter for all sorts of important insects, such as beetles and spiders, who will make it their home

Create a pond – If you have the space a pond is a real boost for wildlife. If you do want a big pond make sure there are sloping sides to help wildlife get in and out or a small wooden jetty. A pond is best filled with rainwater from a water butt and planted with native species.

Compost – A compost heap/bin is a complete win-win: it provides a way of turning waste into compost which will naturally enrich your soil, also it may provide a warm hiding place for many creatures including slow-worms. To avoid attracting rodents, do not add bread or other cooked food.

Leave a gap in your fence – Don’t lock out hedgehogs and frogs. Make sure your garden fences have some small gaps at the bottom that can allow wildlife to move through. 

Grow flowers – Flowers look beautiful and also provide food for many insects. Grow as many varieties as possible to ensure pollen and nectar almost all year round, and try to choose native species if possible.

Just remember that everything has a role in the garden, and local wildlife can help keep your vegetable garden bountiful, rather than just viewing them as pests!