It looks as though we’ll be having a good summer this year, which means we’ll all be spending more time in our gardens – but why not liven thin
gs up a bit? Here are our top tips to encourage wildlife into your garden; which will not only be fun to do and provide a natural habitat for various birds, insects and mammals, but in the long run will be less work for you as wildlife gardening requires much less maintenance!
(We also received some great advice from the Wildlife Gardening group on Facebook)
Brighten with flowers that provide nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies and insects. Choose wild flowers or garden plants to offer food from spring to autumn.
Remember 
to provide nectar for early emerging bees with bulbs such as Eranthis Hyemalise (Winter Aconite), Galanthus Nivalis (Snowdrop), Ranunculus Ficaria (Lesser Calendine)) and Crocus Chyrsant
hus (Snow Crocus) which will bloom between late winter and early spring.
Planting shrubs that are part of the Mahonia family will also attract bees and birds, as not only are the early bloomers, many species also grow berries both of which will provide food and nectar for wildlife.
Grow a variety of trees, shrubs and climber which will not only provide food and shelter, but the multiple levels will also be a nice backdrop to your flowering plants. Good small trees including rowan, crab app
le and hawthorn provide a great shelter for nesting birds, whilst also providing autumn nectar and winter berries.
Providing water either as a bird bath or pond, and a variety of food all year round will ensure you will attract a variety of birds, so include as much natural food as possible, and you can also throw in
kitchen scraps, peanuts and fat balls.
Including a pond with a sloping side will allow creatures to climb easily in and out, and including a range of plants will ensure you have a varied habitat.
Don’t be too tidy! Leaving a pile of dead wood, leaves and twiggy debris in a shady spot (preferable natural wood) will make an ideal home for colourful funghi, hibernating toads and even hedgehogs and mice.
Don’t be afr
aid of allowing a patch of your lawn to grow longer, this will encourage wild flowers and provide shelter for smaller mammals, and food for butterfly caterpillars.
Compost Heap – building one of these makes for healthy soil, which of course is good for garden plants and wildlife. They also provide shelter for small creatures and even some larger ones!
Lastly garden sustainably, which will help protect wildlife in the long run. Use chemicals only as a last resort, avoid peat, recycle and save water when you can!
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