Organic + Wildlife
Wildlife Gardening
Gardens have become increasingly important habitats for many wildlife species in Britain as intensive farming has resulted in less wild flowers and plants. If you would like to encourage wildlife into your garden, here's how to make a mini wildlife reserve.
Water
Adding a wildlife pond will attract many birds and insects by providing food. Be sure the pond has gently sloping sides to allow wildlife to get in and out easily. Add a bucket of mud from an existing pond to introduce pond creatures - many more will follow naturally. See Building a Pond and Pond Maintenance for more tips.
Food
By adding native wild flowers separately, or in a meadow, to your garden, you will provide wildlife with food supplies. Here are some ideas:
Add teasel and thistles - birds will feed on their seeds.
Native trees such as sorbus and elder will provide berries.
Flowers such as foxgloves and lavender provide nectar to attract bees.
Include grass species such as oats and barley to provide seeds for sparrows and continue to feed birds through the winter.
Plants with 'flat' flowers, such as sedums or limnanthes douglasii (also known as 'poached eggs'), attract hoverflies and lacewings.
Leave some apples on the ground in the autumn - butterflies enjoy feasting on them.
To find out how to build your own bird table, see Making a Bird Table.
Shelter and breeding places
Try to provide a range of habitats for different wildlife types. Here are some ideas:
Rotting logs will encourage beetles, which feed on slugs.
Adding a wildlife pond will attract many birds and insects by providing food. Be sure the pond has gently sloping sides to allow wildlife to get in and out easily. Add a bucket of mud from an existing pond to introduce pond creatures - many more will follow naturally. See Building a Pond and Pond Maintenance for more tips.
Food
By adding native wild flowers separately, or in a meadow, to your garden, you will provide wildlife with food supplies. Here are some ideas:
Add teasel and thistles - birds will feed on their seeds.
Native trees such as sorbus and elder will provide berries.
Flowers such as foxgloves and lavender provide nectar to attract bees.
Include grass species such as oats and barley to provide seeds for sparrows and continue to feed birds through the winter.
Plants with 'flat' flowers, such as sedums or limnanthes douglasii (also known as 'poached eggs'), attract hoverflies and lacewings.
Leave some apples on the ground in the autumn - butterflies enjoy feasting on them.
To find out how to build your own bird table, see Making a Bird Table.
Shelter and breeding places
Try to provide a range of habitats for different wildlife types. Here are some ideas:
Rotting logs will encourage beetles, which feed on slugs.
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