Encourage wildlife into your garden by choosing plants which provide nectar for butterflies and bees and seeds or berries for birds. You'll be creating a healthy eco-system and a garden in balance with nature.
What You Need:
10 Steps to a wildlife garden
1. Design a garden with nectar-providing plants that attract butterflies, bees and moths. Try planting Buddleia, Caryopteris x clandonensis, Hebe, willow and lavender.
2. Make sure you include plants with berries and seeds for birds, such as hawthorn and holly.
3. You can supplement natural food and seeds with energy-rich bird table food such as fat balls and seeds mixtures. Remember to fill bird feeders during the winter when food supplies may be scarce.
4. A pile of rocks or logs will encourage small creatures, such as toads and hedgehogs, to move in! Attracting such wildlife brings the added bonus that they will feed on many of the unwlecome garden pests.
5. Putting up a nest box will encourage birds into your garden both to the nest and to roost over the winter. Site them where they won't be disturbed by people or cats. Clean bird boxes out in the winter using boiling water to rid them of any parasites.
6. Try hanging a pollinating bee log near nectar plants to encourage solitray bees to take up residence, vital for pollinating fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers.
7. Insect hibernating boxes increase survival rates of some of out most beneficial insects by up to 95%. Putting up a lacewing or butterfly hibernation box can make a big difference.
8. A bird table adds a great feature to your garden and will be used by birds for bathing and drinking.
9. Look for organic alternatives to pesticides
10.Finally, leave an area of your garden wild to become a true wildlife oasis.
Did You Know?
That as little as three or four minutes in a garden filled with wildlife can dramatically reduce stress levels.
