Your garden

10 Things You Can Do In Your Garden

  • Plant native trees, shrubs and grasses to attract and feed native birds, and remove non native weeds and garden plants that could invade natural habitats.
  • Replace some of your open lawn with garden beds and wild flower meadows.
  • Make hiding and sunning spots for insects by using half buried stones and logs and mulch placed close to shelter and food. As well as providing homes for beetles and worms, which in turn are food for birds and insects, natural mulch also helps to save water.
  • Create a wildlife pond. Let frogs, newts and other water mini-beasts move in by themselves. Never take them or their tadpoles and spawn from the wild. Locate the pond away from bedrooms and neighbours, as frogs can be noisy.
  • Attract butterflies by planting nectar-producing plants such as dog wood, buckthorns, honeysuckle and nettles in sunny spots of the garden.
  • Provide shelter, nest and food sites for small native birds by planting clumps of local native shrub species such as hawthorn, blackthorn and ivy, or install a specially designed nest box if your garden contains a medium to large tree without a hollow.
  • Avoid use of chemical pesticides. Insecticides not only kill the pest can also poison birds, amphibians and small mammals that feed on them. Try using alternatives such as copper strips or coffee granules to deter slugs or encourage natural predators.
  • Keep your cat inside at dusk and dawn or consider building an outdoor enclosure connected to the house. Cats deter birds from visiting your garden.
  • Compost your waste. As well as helping to recycle waste and reduce the use of peat, decaying plant material provides habitats for insects, worms, mites and other invertebrate animals and will be important feeding areas for birds and insectivorous mammals, such as hedgehogs.
  • Obtain a wildlife gardening pack to guide you in the creation of important features in your garden, balcony or up your walls to enhance and protect wildlife and help bring your garden alive, providing you with endless hours of enjoyment and relaxation.