What do you picture when you hear the words’ wildlife garden’? Most people envision a space overgrown with weeds, full of clutter which is the vision of a mess! This description is more apt for an abandoned garden, not a wildlife gardener!
Everyone from Sir David Attenborough to Monty Don has found beauty in adding a bit of wildlife to a once-ordered space. So, if you want to make your garden wildlife friendly, while maintain an appealing aesthetic, read on!
Plan The Space
When you are putting together a wildlife garden, one of the first things you need to do is to plan the space effectively. This can be done with the help of garden landscapers in Leeds, or you can take a vague sketch of your garden shape and make notes of areas where the earth dips in or is slightly higher.
This will help you to identify the areas where the sun hits, which can be beneficial for plants that need full sunlight, as well as shadier spots and areas that could be levelled to put trees or bushes in. It’s OK if your plan for the space changes; very few plants in nature stay in the same place for very long!
To support bees, ladybirds, and other helpful insects, consider placing a few well-positioned bug houses & hotels around your garden to offer them shelter and nesting spaces.
Add Water
Adding water is one of the easiest ways to attract wildlife to your garden. This can be a water feature, a pond, or even a bird bath. If you install a pond in your garden, keep it chemical-free. You don’t want to attract frogs, toads, or any other amphibious life, along with damselflies or dragonflies to a wildlife pond, only for them to become poisoned by chemicals that have been added. Take note that bird baths will need to be cleaned at least once a week, or they can get a bit cloudy.
Pollinating Plants
Next, you need to add some pollinating plants. These can range in size and color from the very commonly known and adored lavender to the rather enormous and imposing giant teasel. By the way, if you plan to put a giant teasel in your garden, you will need to ensure that they do not spread and dominate the space. You may have additional teasels popping up every couple of years! Pollinating plants will help to attract butterflies, bumblebees, wasps, hummingbird hawkmoths, and every other pollinator you can think of, which will keep your garden buzzing and enhance the space.
Trees
Even if you are renting your home, you can still add a small tree to a pot. Try to aim for trees that have blossoms and bear fruit each year, as these will provide food for bees, butterflies, birds, and even rodents such as mice. Also, it’s not likely that you’re going to be able to attract birds to your garden without a couple of trees!
Minimise Mowing
It is also advised if you are trying to put together a wildlife garden to minimise mowing in certain areas. This will help insects make themselves at home in the longer grass and provide a hiding spot for small rodents. If you live near a wood, you may even find that this long grass attracts snakes, which can help to keep rodent populations down and, depending on where you live, will be a blessing in disguise due to rarity!