With Garden Wildlife Week happening on 6-12th June and the Government announcing that 99,000 hectares of England are to be dedicated to supporting wildlife. I thought a blog on gardening for wildlife would be very timely.
My own personal experience tells me that it’s no coincidence that the wildlife has massively increased since we restored our garden five years ago. It went from a scruffy area of mown lawn (with goalposts for the kids of course) into a plant-filled garden. And the birds and insects have piled in ever since!
Gardening for Wildlife…My Journey So Far
Indeed that wonderfully close connection between gardening and nature has been one of the real joys of the whole process. It has prompted me to learn and blog about all sorts of aspects of gardening for wildlife and the environment. Things such as:
- Conserving water through Mulching
- Choosing butterfly friendly plants
- Putting up and even making birdboxes
- Avoiding pesticides by using natural garden remedies
- Planting and gardening for bees
- Trying biochar
It has also steered some of my gardening decisions in ways I wouldn’t have envisaged when I started. I have a few patches of nettles in the garden. I make leaf mould. I’ve created a teeny-tiny water feature on the basis that something is better than nothing. And I now have a large, thoroughly wild, nature-friendly patio which I’m sure would bring some neat and tidy gardening types out in a cold sweat! I even held my nerve last year, letting nature sort out a greenfly infestation on my honeysuckle.
This month I’ve also followed Plantlife’s ‘no mow May.’ I left my grass to grow very, very wild for almost a whole month. Not mowing it at all. This gave the insects a real pollen boost from the masses of daisies and everything else which sprang up in my ‘lawn.’
The grass in my garden is famously terrible. So you can imagine the thistles etc which sprouted during May once they were given free reign to do so. But the brilliant buzz of insects right across the garden made it well worth it.
Video of My No Mo Lawn!
What Else Can I Try on my Gardening for Wildlife Journey?
But I’m always keen to learn and try more ideas.
So when garden wildlife expert Sean McMemeny, founder of Ark Wildlife, offered to share with me some top tips how to create a wildlife haven in the garden I jumped at the chance. We covered a real mix of topics…
What to Feed the Birds & How
Like many of you I already have put up bird boxes and we put out food for the birds. But Sean had some interesting advice on what to feed them and how.
“When it comes to bird food, it is best to start by filling one feeder with sunflower hearts and another with peanuts. But bear in mind that diets vary greatly across different species. For example, sparrows and goldfinches enjoy seeds whereas woodpeckers aren’t seed eaters at all. They prefer peanuts, fat, and even mealworms. While many birds will visit a seed feeder, they all have their preferences. Blue tits will seek out fat and suet, while great tits and robins opt for mealworms. Then again song birds such as blackbirds and thrushes prefer fruit.
“Once you have set up your initial feed, if you have the space, you can begin to offer a wider range of quality bird food set up at varying heights. For instance have ground, table and hanging feeders. This is known as ‘tiered bird feeding’, and will attract a higher diversity of species.”
I hadn’t thought of having a ground feeder and don’t put out much fruit so will definitely start doing this.
Helping Queen Bees
If you’re gardening for wildlife then you obviously have to think about bees. I asked Sean what steps I can take in this area?
“Spring is when queen bees come out of hibernation, and begin to build future colonies. Queen bees use nectar and pollen from flowers to feed both themselves and their offspring. So by providing them with the right flowers, you can aid them in the pivotal role they play in nature’s life cycle.
“Every garden regardless of size can be both bee friendly and beautiful. Bees have a similar taste to humans, in that they favour flowers with bountiful open blooms, and long flowering seasons. Examples of flowers generous in pollen and nectar include geraniums, lavender, open dahlias and globe thistle. Also, herbs such as marjoram, sage and chives and flowering shrubs like buddleia, cotoneaster and apple blossom.“
Mmm…while I’m really good on the geranium front I’m no sure my dahlia choices have all been the open variety.
Interestingly as part of his gardening for wildlife advice, Sean also suggests making a bee ‘nectar filling station’. It’s simply a pot or pots filled with nectar giving flowers. Well I certainly have masses of these on my patio in bloom from March to September, but I don’t have the second important ingredient for Sean’s filling station – a shallow dish of water. Sean says that many may be surprised to know that bees need hydration too.
Supporting Hedgehogs
My friend Kay has loads of hedgehogs in her garden. She calls them all Kevin! Sadly we’re less successful with them in the F-W household. We spotted one in our garden ages ago but despite actively gardening for wildlife, we haven’t seen one since. So I was keen to get Sean’s top tips for looking after hedgehogs.
“In the UK, hedgehogs tend to come out of hibernation between March and May. This can be a dangerous time for them. It is critical that they have access to food and water, and are protected from predators. Their most urgent need when emerging from hibernation will be fresh drinking water. To help with this, set up some water in a sturdy dish at ground-level, as well as dry hedgehog food.
“In the weeks after coming out of hibernation hedgehogs should begin to breed. After a 32 day gestation period, hoglets are born, and there are measures that can be taken to protect them from hazards. Firstly, if you have a garden bonfire, always check for nests of hoglets or hedgehogs before lighting it. They are also prone to getting stuck in pea netting and goal nets, so ensure these are at least 8 inches off the ground to allow hedgehogs to move under them safely. As well as this, a hedgehog house or woodpile in a quiet area, ideally protected from the weather, can provide a comfortable sleeping space for them.“
Boosting Butterflies
I’ve blogged about butterfly friendly plants and think my plant choices – big open accessible flowers with strong scent – work well. And I plant in swathes making it easy for them to get a ‘big meal’ with minimal effort!
But again, I’ve not thought about a butterfly’s water requirements – and Sean has some facinating advice regarding cold spells too.
“Many beneficial insects such as butterflies can be attracted to gardens and helped in many ways. Lots of fragrant flowers are a given, but they also need water. So put out a shallow-sided dish of water in the garden and make sure it doesn’t have slippery edges. A terracotta plant saucer is ideal. Another tip is to watch out for cold spells. During these many flowers will close to protect themselves. But this prevents butterflies from feeding. During such times (or whenever natural food is scarce), make a mix of sugar water and soak it in a sponge or cloth. Put it out in a shady spot. Butterflies and bumblebees will sniff it out for a quick ‘pit stop’ when needed.“
That’s such a simple clever tip!
Add a water feature or pond
I guess no blog about gardening for wildlife would be complete without talking about ponds. Seans says…
“For those looking to embark on a bigger project, installing a water feature or even a pond in your garden is a really effective way to support and encourage wildlife. Sources of water can act as a habitat for a wide range of creatures such as frogs, newts, dragonflies and bathing garden birds. The best spot for a water feature is in a warm area that gets a good amount of sunlight. Plants, flowers, stones and logs make great additions around the edges of a pond, as well as having the added benefit of looking lovely!
But as Sean points out, you don’t need a huge space or a big budget to include some kind of water feature in your gardening for wildlife plans.
“If you are looking for a cost-effective and lower maintenance option, it is possible to create a pond using a buried bucket or trough, with stone steps or a wooden ramp for in and out access – it will essentially serve the same purpose as a more lavish pond.“
The tiny pond we’ve created in our garden is definitely a testament to this advice. It’s attracted all sorts of wildlife.
Gardening for Wildlife – My Top 20 Tips
Sean’s advice has proven to me that I never stop learning new things when gardening – which has to be one of its major joys. So, based on his nuggets of information and my own ‘hit and miss’ experience, what are my key tips for anyone serious about gardening for wildlife? Well, here are my top 20 …
- Go for butterfly, bee and other insect friendly plants
- Have an extended flowering period so that you’re providing nectar for as long as possible
- Have different flower shapes to suit different polinators – open blooms rather than showy closed/double blooms are best
- Don’t use chemicals – try natural alternatives, or leave it to nature to sort out those pests
- Put up a bird box or two!
- Feed the birds – provide a variety of food and have different heights/types of feeding stations
- Don’t mow your grass in May
- Leave some small areas of long areas of grass beyond May
- Don’t buy fake grass!
- Provide water for insects
- If there’s a cold spell, when blooms close, provide a sugar water infused sponge/cloth for bees and butterflies
- Create a nectar filling station
- Create a log pile
- Have a water feature – even a small one can make a difference. Just make sure it has steps/a slope so creatures can safely get in and out of it
- Put out water and food for hedgehogs
- Check your bonfire for hedgehogs
- Be careful with pea nettting or goal nets with hedgehogs
- Only use peat-free compost
- Mulch your garden to minimise your use of water
- Make your own leaf mould, it’s good for conditioning your soil, which is good for worms and all the bugs in your soil
Happy gardening – x