How to make your garden wildlife friendly

It’s important to make your garden wildlife friendly because our gardens are an important wildlife habitat. The constant destruction of natural habitats makes this even more important. Even if you have a tiny garden, yard or balcony you’ll find creatures living there. Lift up a stone, peer under a plant pot or just sit a while and watch… you’ll be amazed at how many creatures there are! You may even spot bigger creatures such as frogs, mice and even hedgehogs.

But how can you make sure your garden is wildlife friendly? Here are some ideas…

Don’t Use Weedkiller

Weed killer and bug spray kills the plants and insects you don’t want in your garden. However, they can also kill other plant and animal life in the garden.

Don’t use Slug Pellets.

Slugs provide a great food for frogs, hedgehogs and birds. The poison in slug pellets could also affect hedgehogs health and even cause them to die.

Hang a Butterfly Feeder

Butterflies feeders are easy to make and will help to attract these beautiful mini beasts into your garden. Did you know: Butterflies pollinate many different plants!

Build a Wildlife Pond

Garden ponds are important for many types of wildlife especially frogs and newts. You can build a pond or even use a container to create a mini pond.

Create a Hedgehog Home

Leave a patch of your garden wild to give hedgehogs a place to shelter and nest. If you don’t have space for a wild area you can build a simple hedgehog shelter.

Feed the Wild Birds

Help the birds by leaving out food for them. Different birds eat different food so leave out a variety of things including seeds, nuts, fat balls and mealworms.

Put Up Bird Boxes

There are less suitable places for birds to nest and for many species this is causing a decline in their numbers. Help them out by putting up nest boxes.

Grow Wild Plants and Flowers

Wildlife gardens are becoming increasing important as natural habitats are being destroyed. Grow wild plants for all the different wildlife in your garden.

Feed the Wild Birds

Help the birds by leaving out food for them. Different birds eat different food so leave out a variety of things including seeds, nuts, fat balls and mealworms.