Water is central to the creation of a successful wildlife garden. All manner of creatures live in the water, birds and small mammals come to feed on the creatures in the water, larger animals come to feed on the smaller animals – and so on, round and round. Water is a primary need.
Include as much water as possible – in tubs, water butts, big muddy-edged ponds, and areas of bog garden fringing the pond. These will all attract wildlife.
Birds
Birds are a vital cog in the eco-sanctuary wildlife garden wheel. Certainly, they might nibble away at some of your precious crops, but they look beautiful and will feed on creatures such as aphids and insects.
Don’t fret if you see pigeons feeding on your peas, tits feasting on flowers and buds, or rooks eating baby birds. Just focus on the fact that every creature has its natural place.
Mammals, reptiles and fish
You might not like rats, snakes or squirrels, but it is important that your wildlife garden is open to all creatures. Mice will eat snails and slugs, rats will eat mice, snakes will eat rats, large birds will come in and eat snakes – they all have their place in the food chain.
If you are really concerned about snakes or rats, it is best to leave them alone and see how they figure in the overall scheme of things.
Plants
Gardeners normally select specific plants because they look, smell and taste good. For a wildlife garden, you need to introduce plants that will attract creatures as well as being ornamental or beneficial.
For example, if you enjoy
birds, then you must lure them into your garden by growing plants that both give you pleasure and provide the birds with food in the form of berries, nuts, seeds or flowers.
Butterflies, bees and bugs
It has been said that butterflies, bees and a vast range of ‘bugs’ are the prime movers of our eco-systems, and that without them our gardens would come to a standstill.
You might not like aphids (also known as greenfly and blackfly) but when you see ants systematically ‘farming’ aphids, and small birds eating aphids, you will begin to see that even the much-hated aphid has its place in the greater scheme of things.
Water Features
Dry, barren gardens work for some creatures in some areas of the world, but if you really want to increase your wildlife options (the diversity of the creatures) then you need water – a sump or a half-barrel filled with water, for example, or a pond.
While a little naturallooking wild pond hidden away in a well-planted corner is likely to be the best option, even the smallest of water features will do. If you have doubts about this, just fill a bucket with water and leave it in the garden for a couple of weeks.
By then it will be alive with minute insects and larvae, and if you keep looking long enough you will spot all manner of larger creatures coming in for a drink and a feast.
Plants For Food
Wildlife gardens are, from the animals’ and insects’ point of view, primarily about shelter and food. The more shelter and food you provide, the more creatures will come in. Start by planting species that will provide birds with food in the winter.
Include as much water as possible – in tubs, water butts, big muddy-edged ponds, and areas of bog garden fringing the pond. These will all attract wildlife.
Birds
Birds are a vital cog in the eco-sanctuary wildlife garden wheel. Certainly, they might nibble away at some of your precious crops, but they look beautiful and will feed on creatures such as aphids and insects.
Don’t fret if you see pigeons feeding on your peas, tits feasting on flowers and buds, or rooks eating baby birds. Just focus on the fact that every creature has its natural place.
Mammals, reptiles and fish
You might not like rats, snakes or squirrels, but it is important that your wildlife garden is open to all creatures. Mice will eat snails and slugs, rats will eat mice, snakes will eat rats, large birds will come in and eat snakes – they all have their place in the food chain.
If you are really concerned about snakes or rats, it is best to leave them alone and see how they figure in the overall scheme of things.
Plants
Gardeners normally select specific plants because they look, smell and taste good. For a wildlife garden, you need to introduce plants that will attract creatures as well as being ornamental or beneficial.
For example, if you enjoy
birds, then you must lure them into your garden by growing plants that both give you pleasure and provide the birds with food in the form of berries, nuts, seeds or flowers.
Butterflies, bees and bugs
It has been said that butterflies, bees and a vast range of ‘bugs’ are the prime movers of our eco-systems, and that without them our gardens would come to a standstill.
You might not like aphids (also known as greenfly and blackfly) but when you see ants systematically ‘farming’ aphids, and small birds eating aphids, you will begin to see that even the much-hated aphid has its place in the greater scheme of things.
Water Features
Dry, barren gardens work for some creatures in some areas of the world, but if you really want to increase your wildlife options (the diversity of the creatures) then you need water – a sump or a half-barrel filled with water, for example, or a pond.
While a little naturallooking wild pond hidden away in a well-planted corner is likely to be the best option, even the smallest of water features will do. If you have doubts about this, just fill a bucket with water and leave it in the garden for a couple of weeks.
By then it will be alive with minute insects and larvae, and if you keep looking long enough you will spot all manner of larger creatures coming in for a drink and a feast.
Plants For Food
Wildlife gardens are, from the animals’ and insects’ point of view, primarily about shelter and food. The more shelter and food you provide, the more creatures will come in. Start by planting species that will provide birds with food in the winter.
The cycle goes something like this: you plant a good range of berry- and seed-bearing plants (ones that are common in your area), the birds come in to feed, leaves and pips fall, mice and other small mammals feed on the debris, smaller insects and worms feed on the waste, and so on.
Designs
1. Design for a town orchard meadow garden
tailored central lawn, but it does not have to be like that. This long, narrow town garden draws inspiration from the traditional orchard meadow.
The important ingredients here are the fruit trees, the long grass with meadow flowers to the side, a bark-covered area for sitting, large logs, and a small natural-looking pond surrounded by irises. Mow paths through the grass and plant the pond with native or other species.
2. Design for a traditional cottage garden
Build the basic features into the design – the well or pond, the lawn, the vegetable area and so on – and then cram in as many plants as possible. The vegetable beds may look a bit scruffy and there may be weeds at the back of the borders, but just think how the plant debris is going to bring in insects, worms, bugs, beetles and birds.
HINTS AND TIPS
• You could reduce the mown lawn to a minimum, so as to maximize the size of the more
fruitful borders.
• Leave a space behind the trees that is big enough for a good-sized compost heap.
• Remember that wild creatures need good cover so that they can move freely from one area to another.
• Even the smallest of ponds will support wildlife; for example, we have a sump pond about 1 m (3½ ft) square that is full of newts.
• Leave a layer of debris – cabbage leaves, fallen fruit, hedge clippings – in one corner of the garden to encourage small creatures to take up residence.
• Put up a feeding table, and one or two nesting boxes.
• Allow fallen fruit to rot down where it falls.
• Leave small untidy areas so that creatures can safely exist without being disturbed.
• Even the smallest water feature will give a home to a variety of wild creatures.
DESIGN FOR A WILDLIFE GARDEN
DESIGN FOR A WILDLIFE GARDEN
If you look at the town orchard meadow illustration (page 7 top), you will see that the country design
builds on the basic theme by adding hedges, larger areas of meadow grass, more trees, a bigger pile of logs, a bigger pond and a bog garden. If your particular location has rocky outcrops or a stream running through it, for example, you may need to modify the basic design to suit.
Hints and tips
• You could enlarge the pond and concentrate on pondlife and large mammals.
• You could enlarge the orchard and include a bog garden.
• Woodchips are good for paths and patios, and when broken down they can be put on the vegetable garden as a mulch.
• Remember that if children will use the garden you must make sure the pond is safe. If you have concerns about ponds and small children, one option is to build a large pond, turn it into a bog garden, and then turn it back into a pond when the children are older and able to look after themselves.
• You could build a shelter – perhaps a treehouse – and camouflage it, so as to make a hide from which to watch your wildlife without it seeing you and taking fright (see pages 15 and 39).
Comments
Post a Comment