| How can l make my garden more for wildlife? Creating a wildlife-friendly garden can be a rewarding experience, attracting birds, bees, butterflies, and other beneficial creatures while supporting biodiversity. Here are some key ways to make your garden more welcoming to wildlife: |
| Provide Food Sources Plant Native Flowers: Choose wildflowers and plants that provide nectar and pollen for bees and butterflies. Grow Fruit-Bearing Trees and shrubs: Plants like hawthorn, elderberry, and blackberry offer food for birds and small mammals. Leave Seed Heads: Let flowers like sunflowers and teasels go to seed to provide winter food for birds. Add Bird Feeders: Provide seeds, suet, and peanuts for various bird species. Grow Herbs & Vegetables: Some plants, like lavender, oregano, and thyme, attract pollinators. Create Shelter & Nesting Sites Plant Dense Hedges: Native hedgerows like hawthorn and holly offer nesting and cover for birds. Leave Piles of Logs & Rocks: These create shelter for insects, amphibians, and small mammals. Install Birdhouses & Bat Boxes: Different species need different sizes, so research which birds frequent your area. Let Grass Grow: Let a patch of your lawn grow wild to create a habitat for insects and small creatures. Use Climbing Plants: Ivy and honeysuckle provide cover and food for birds and insects. Provide Water Install a Wildlife Pond: A small, shallow pond can support frogs, newts, dragonflies, and birds. Add a Bird Bath: Keep it clean and filled for birds to drink and bathe. Create a Mud Patch: This helps butterflies and some bird species, like swallows, build nests. Avoid Chemicals Ditch Pesticides & Herbicides: These can harm pollinators and other beneficial insects. Use Natural Pest Control: Encourage predators like ladybugs, hedgehogs, and birds to control pests. Make Compost: A compost heap enriches soil and attracts earthworms, which feed birds and other animals. Encourage a Variety of Wildlife Mix Different Plants: To support diverse species, grow a mix of trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses. Leave Some Areas Undisturbed: Piles of leaves and wood can become homes for hedgehogs and insects. Create a Bee Hotel: Hollow stems or drilled logs can provide nesting places for solitary bees. Make Your Garden Accessible Create Gaps in Fences: A small hole (13 cm x 13 cm) allows hedgehogs and small mammals to move between gardens. Link Gardens with Green Corridors: Work with neighbours to create connected wildlife-friendly spaces. |
| By making these changes, your garden will become a thriving habitat for wildlife, contributing to a healthier ecosystem. |
Earthly Comforts 
Very good advice Rory
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Thanks Sadje 🙂
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You’re welcome
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Music to our ears. Thank you
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🙂
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