How to encourage wildlife in your garden
Encouraging wildlife to take up residence in your garden is a great way to do your bit for the environment, and can help it flourish too.
Even those with a small urban garden can use this space to invite natural wildlife to come in, and the sounds of bees buzzing and butterflies flitting from flower to flower is sure to have a positive effect on your wellbeing too!
So what can you do to turn your garden into a wildlife garden? Here are some fantastic tips to encourage wildlife to come in.
Look after the bees.
Anyone interested in wildlife and the environment will probably be aware that the number of bees in the UK has been rapidly declining over the last few years, with at least two species of bee becoming extinct in the 21st century.
Bees feed on the nectar of flowers so why not give them an easy meal or two by planting some wildflowers in your garden? We offer a range of high quality wildflower turf and seed which will attract bees into your garden.
Bees are excellent pollinators so play a key role in producing many of the foods that we enjoy, so it is only fair that we give them a helping hand and do everything we can to conserve these lovely creatures -the beautiful mix of colours and textures of wildflowers in your garden is a fantastic added bonus too.
Help the hedgehogs.
Hedgehogs are another delightful wild creature that are sadly in decline. Luckily there is plenty we can do to help them. Hedgehogs are always on the lookout for food sources as well as to find a good spot to settle down for the night, or even search for a mate.
If you have a lot of land you may find that hedgehogs are happy to wander through your garden, but even in an enclosed space you could create a gap to allow hedgehogs to roam in and out of your garden freely.
Hedgehogs love to feast on mealworm, and sunflower hearts, but you can also buy specially made hedgehog food, and they are even partial to meaty dog food and unsalted peanuts too!
Leaving out water for hedgehogs to drink is also helpful, but remember that milk can actually cause them upset so don’t try to coax them in with that.
Creating sheltered spots for hedgehogs to live in can be created or bought and will keep them safe and protected from predators. Another important point is that slug pellets and weed killers can be dangerous to hedgehogs if they ingest them, so using organic products, composts and fertilisers will keep them safe as well.
Boost the butterflies.
Butterflies are attracted to colourful flowers, so include plenty of them in your garden to attract beautiful butterflies and other insects and bees.
While butterflies tend not to be too fussy, if you want to give them the optimum environment, planting clusters of small, tubular flowers or flat topped blossoms are ideal as their shape makes it easy for butterflies to land and feed on the nectar. Including flat stones in sunny areas of your garden are also attractive to butterflies who enjoy resting on warm spots after enjoying a good meal!
Care for the birds.
With spring on it’s way, now is the ideal time to think about including a birds nest box in your garden. Even the smallest gardens can accommodate one, and in doing so you will be helping to conserve birds species, giving them an ideal, safe and secure place to nest and breed as well as being a truly joyful experience if birds do choose to take up residence and lay their eggs in your nest box.
Include the insects.
Insects are an important part of our ecosystem, and attracting insects to your garden can keep it flourishing as they feed on pests that may otherwise destroy it.
They also naturally fertilise soil, keeping it healthy, and ideal for growing plants and flowers.
Avoid use of chemical laden fertilisers and allow your lawn to grow a little longer, and you can encourage a variety of harmless insects into your garden providing them with much needed shelter, which is particularly important over winter where they look for suitable spots to hibernate.
By making little, inexpensive and simple changes you could easily transform your outside space into a thriving wildlife garden, which will not only bring you satisfaction in the knowledge that you are doing your bit for the planet, but will also bring colour and life to your garden all year round.