7 ways to make your garden more wildlife friendly

The amount of wildlife we share our world with is outstanding, but unfortunately, the number of plants and animals on our doorsteps is declining at a rapid rate. Urbanisation and a growing human population are reducing the amount of space and food available for our native wildlife, which is making it harder for them to survive and grow. It’s said that almost 87% of UK households own a garden and these outdoor spaces will cover a larger area than all of our wildlife trusts combined.

Making good use of your garden will give wildlife that helping hand they need and will improve your garden’s appearance. Here are 7 ways you can make your garden more wildlife friendly.

Grow specific plants

Growing plants that support a range of insects will maximise the chances of them entering your garden and surviving. Bees, butterflies, moths and other pollinators will feed on the nectar of many plants, so you should add a variety to your collection to draw them in and make your garden look great. However, if you want to support reproduction, then you should look into planting particular plants that attract butterflies to lay their eggs on them and encourage the growth and survival of caterpillars.

Feed the birds

Feeding the birds using bird feeders is a quick and easy way to make your garden a better place for our feathered friends. If you have a squirrel problem in your area, look into buying a squirrel-proof feeder. The food you put out will determine the birds you attract. Niger seeds will attract different finches and siskins and peanuts are loved by nuthatches, tits and woodpeckers. If you want to purchase garden bird supplies, then you should check out Little Peckers. This online bird food store has everything you need to keep birds happy in one place, plus they have a fantastic range of wildlife products that may suit you.

Make a home

In order to make the indigenous animals truly happy and comfortable, you should do what you can to create a welcoming home for them. This includes building and supplying warmth and shelter for them to rest and raise their young. For birds, this will include putting up bird boxes and providing materials for them to nest. For bugs, insect hotels and wood piles work great. For ground dwelling animals, planting hedges for them to move through and burrow under provides safe places for mammals to live.

Build a compost heap

Creating a compost heap is a great way to put your food waste to good use and increase the health and biodiversity of your garden. When you make and maintain a compost heap, you’ll create a home for mini-beasts, also known as small invertebrates. These are a brilliant source of food for a variety of different creatures. The compost you make can also be used to feed the trees, plants and grass in your garden as it’s packed with essential nutrients and worms that stabilise and improve the soil.

Support nocturnal wildlife

As well as taking care of the wildlife you see during the day, you should do what you can to help the creatures of the night. Plenty of wildlife will use your garden when you are tucked up in bed, and these nocturnal animals are usually the ones for whom people forget to cater. Planting night-blooming flowers will attract pollinating insects such as moths, which will create a great food source for bats and other insectivores. Removing artificial light from the outside of your property is another effective way to help bats.

Add a water source

Watering your garden will support your plants and make your garden stronger, and adding a water source will provide an environment that will support a variety of amphibians; including frogs, common toads and newts. These creatures will provide a natural and highly effective method of pest control, as they feed on a variety of invertebrates. Adding a small pond will look great and make your garden more wildlife friendly. It may also attract dragonflies during the summer, which is when they are active.

Let things grow

Many UK home-owners tend to install fake grass and lay concrete and brick patios and keep their gardens overly tidy. Although this looks neat, it will not support the environment very well. Sometimes, longer grass and messy hedges is exactly what the local wildlife needs. However, you should not let it overwhelm you and make you feel uncomfortable and messy. Instead, you should leave some of your lawn un-mown and allow some wild plants (also known as weeds!), to take over areas of your garden.

Taking care of wildlife may not feel like your responsibility, but your home will most likely be built on top of theirs and taking up valuable space that they need. Attempting to make your garden more wildlife friendly doesn’t cost a fortune, but it will make life a little better for the creatures with whom we share our world.

Do you do anything to encourage wildlife into your outside space?

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Helping wildlife survive the winter

You might have noticed your garden bursting with wildlife over the long, hot summer we’ve enjoyed this year. From butterflies to birds, insects to frogs, even toads, foxes and hedgehogs. It’s a great feeling knowing that nature can get so close! But now that summer’s over, and the weather is changing, you might be wondering how the wildlife will cope when the temperature begins to plummet.

Well, don’t worry. Read on for some helpful ideas and tips of how you can give nature a little bit of help this winter and enjoy the sight of wildlife in your garden once more.

Keep it wild… a little bit

It’s important to keep your lawn well maintained during the colder months of the year, you’ll need to mow it at least one more time before wet weather sets in and also consider fertilising it with some grass seed to help it stay strong and healthy – check out this grass seed calculator if you’re unsure of how much you’ll need. However, if you’re hoping to help wildlife, then try leaving a few wild areas of your garden for insects and you’ll also create the perfect place for animals to rest and shelter from the cold.

Your pond

If you have a pond in your garden, then chances are it’s going to freeze over when the temperature drops. You need to prepare for this by creating a hole in the ice. Why? Because the toxic gases given off by dead plants and foliage in the water, will kill any fish or frogs that may be hibernating at the bottom of the pond out of sight. One way to create a hole in the ice to release these gases is to place a pan of hot water on the ice and allow it to thaw.

Provide fresh water

Access to fresh water might be limited for wildlife in the colder months, so make sure you keep your bird baths filled with fresh water and provide saucers of water for any visiting hedgehogs, foxes or even badgers. If they know they have access to fresh water in your garden, then they’ll be back!

A bug’s life

Insects like butterflies and bees and mini beasts all need somewhere to shelter over the cold months of the year, but you don’t have to build or create anything fancy. If you have lots of empty plant pots stack them all together and you’ll see insect maybe even some little mammals take residence.

Create a bat friendly garden

Because of their nocturnal nature, we often forget about the plight of bats but don’t worry – there are a couple of things you can do to encourage these incredible creatures into your garden while you’re tucked up in bed.

You can increase their food supply by planting plants and flowers that attract their food such as moths and other creatures. If you’ve followed the step above then you might have already provided them with a food source. Bats can rest in places that are dark and dry during the day, like under that pile of tiles you’ve been meaning to move or head to your garden centre and pick up a bat box.

Will you be doing anything to help the wildlife in your garden this winter?

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Charity Vintage: Pelican Books | British birds, wild plants & flowers

(ends 24 May, 2015 16:32:25 BST)

Yesterday we highlighted a range of bird-watching handbooks to help you identify some of our avian friends. Lo & behold we found this great lot available on eBay for Charity. We love vintage Penguin and Pelican Books anyway, but this lot covers everything you need for doing a bit of nature-spotting!

There are four books on bird identification, and the other four classify wild flowers, herbs and grasses. The set is for sale by Dorothy House Foundation*. The opening bid is £5 with £3 on top for postage and packaging. That’s a pound a book – bargain!

*Dorothy House Foundation aims to work with their community to develop, influence and provide palliative and end of life care that meets the needs of all people with a life-limiting illness. Their purpose is to ensure that the very best care is provided to those in need.

Etsy List: If you go down to the woods today…

We love walking Fudge in the woods near our house – it takes on such a magical quality in the autumn.

The colour; the earthy smell; the sound of crisp, dry leaves underfoot; squirrels darting here & there up trunks and between branches; mushrooms poking up through the leaf litter.

Yesterday, I (Adelle) was lucky to get a long look at two startled deer leaping away – it was the first time I’d seen deer in over a year. Justin boasts of sightings at least once a week!

If you go down to the woods today…
Curated by H is for Home

H is for Home Harbinger

Tag: wildlife