| Our gardens are an important refuge for wildlife. But how do you make a garden wildlife friendly without it becoming plain wild? Bird boxes and tables are a start, but it is the whole garden, and how it relates to its neighbours, that makes it attractive to wildlife. Animals need food, and safe places to feed, hide and breed. A wide range of mini habitats is vital - trees, shrubs, climbers, perennials, grass and water. |
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Nature thrives on diversity, so a range of plant life is desirable. What does this sound like? The typical British garden, with mixed borders of shrubs and perennials, a pond and a wide variety of plants that flower over a long season. Naturalists rate our gardens as vital habitats, more so than agricultural land, that support a surprisingly large proportion of our fauna and flora.
Trees, shrubs, hedges and climbers make nesting places for birds, so it makes sense not to prune or cut in the spring nesting season. Some shrubs and many perennials are a nectar source for insects, with late flowering perennials in the daisy family such as golden rod (solidago), asters and the pink flowered Eupatorium purpureuin 'Atropurpureum' attracting scores of butterflies. Nearly all flowers are of interest to insects, although double ones are often less useful as a nectar source. |
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 But it is the role of plants as food sources for insects that is most important. Without a vast number of insects, most of which we are quite unaware of, there would be no food for many birds. A wide variety of plants support many insects. Some, it has to be said, will do some damage, but you can compensate by varied planting: insects tend to stick to one food source, so if caterpillars munch the columbines, the neighbouring roses will be untouched. |
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| Read more about creating a wildlife haven in your garden >> |
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