Think like a bird, be like a bee and get back to nature. Mark Blackwell from our Sustainable Stowe team shares some top tips to make your personal outside space a little wilder and more attractive for wildlife!
Don’t let your garden be a fortress
Remember some species need access to more than just one garden to survive. So, it’s very important to allow access from your garden to your neighbours for things that can’t fly. If you have continuous panel fencing, then cutting a small hole or excavating a tunnel underneath near a corner can help.
Let your lawn grow wild
Take a break from mowing a section of your lawn to encourage the growth of nectar-rich plants, such as clover. These plants provide a vital food source for pollinators and can make a beautiful feature too.
Use only natural products
Avoid using any unnatural products on your garden. One of the reasons behind the massive losses of insect life is the increasing use and effectiveness of pesticides and herbicides.
Feed the birds
Enhance your garden’s wildlife appeal with a well-stocked bird table or feeder. The wider the range of foods on offer, the wider the range of feathered friends that will come calling.
Build a home for nature
You can re-wild your garden and entice wildlife into your space as you:
- Build a bug house and put-up bird nesting boxes
- Construct a hedgehog house and keep leaves under the hedgerow
- Leave a pile of sticks for small animals to find shelter in
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/the-vyne/features/create-your-own-bug-hotel
Plant more perennials
Perennials bloom throughout the year, providing a myriad of sources of nectar for pollinators at crucial times. Planting a section of your garden with wildflowers will provide food in the summer for insects.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/perennials
Plant a tree
Native trees have the greatest benefit to our wildlife because they evolved together. Consider silver birch, rowan, hawthorn, elderberry, holly, yew or crab apple. All top fruit trees such as apples, pears, plums and cherries are good for wildlife.
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/plant-trees/advice/how-to-plant/
Allow parts to become wild
Take a more relaxed approach to weeding and allow selected weeds such as teasel and deadnettle to grow among your plantings. This is an easy way to increase the diversity of plants in your garden and welcome native plant species, supplying wildlife with extra nectar, pollen and seed heads.
There you have it, just a few quick and easy ways to re-wild your garden.
