once you have established a basic layout – a pond, a variety of shrubs, ground cover, grasses, trees (if space allows), and a selection of nesting boxes – to attract a broad range of wildlife, you need to decide what you specifically want to attract, and shape up the garden accordingly.
These wild corners also become ‘jungles’ for your children to play in – great places to build camps and hideaways, and to see nature close up.
For example, if you particularly like hedgehogs, find out what they need in the way of shelter and
food, and make sure your garden can supply those needs.
food, and make sure your garden can supply those needs.
| Frogs do not need water all year round, but a pond will attract them in the breeding season and they will then probably stay |
| There is nothing nicer than a garden full of butterflies on a sunny day. Plants such as buddleia are like magnets for them. |
| Bees and other insects will pollinate your flowers as well as providing food for birds and other creatures, so encourage them |
Wild meadows, especially if they are low-lying, provide a year-round habitat for a broad range of creatures. Bramble
patches also make safe, impenetrable homes for birds, mice, rabbits and larger mammals such as badgers and foxes.
patches also make safe, impenetrable homes for birds, mice, rabbits and larger mammals such as badgers and foxes.
Water gardens are an absolute haven for many types of wildlife, from sparkling damselflies to graceful birds and amphibians.
Positive Planning & Positive neglect
An easy option is just to let a part of your garden run wild and go back to nature. Such an area will soon become overrun with the ‘unwanted’ plants that are common to your area – such as nettles, docks and wild grasses – but they will also become a haven for wildlife.
These wild corners also become ‘jungles’ for your children to play in – great places to build camps and hideaways, and to see nature close up.Positive Planning & Positive neglect
An easy option is just to let a part of your garden run wild and go back to nature. Such an area will soon become overrun with the ‘unwanted’ plants that are common to your area – such as nettles, docks and wild grasses – but they will also become a haven for wildlife.
Creating wildlife food chains
The wonderful thing about a wildlife garden is the fact that everything you plant will start off a food chain. Squirrels, mice and birds will feed on nuts and seeds; harvest mice particularly like berries; rabbits eat grasses and nuts.
Therefore, once you have planted species that produce nuts, berries and seeds, and once the year-round growing, flowering and fruiting cycle associated with these plants is established, these areas will become home to insects, worms, slugs and snails, and these will in turn attract the larger creatures, including badgers, foxes and moles.
You might not particularly want gnats, slugs and bugs, but these difficult-to-like creatures will in turn attract snakes, badgers and birds – all the creatures that most of us want in our wildlife gardens.
Therefore, once you have planted species that produce nuts, berries and seeds, and once the year-round growing, flowering and fruiting cycle associated with these plants is established, these areas will become home to insects, worms, slugs and snails, and these will in turn attract the larger creatures, including badgers, foxes and moles.
You might not particularly want gnats, slugs and bugs, but these difficult-to-like creatures will in turn attract snakes, badgers and birds – all the creatures that most of us want in our wildlife gardens.
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