There are two main pieces of criteria that wildlife will look for in your garden; food and shelter. The former is what attracts them in the first place, so lets begin there…
Start simple
Leaving your lawn to grow a little longer than normal, will encourage insect activity in your grassy areas which will in turn, attract larger animals who prey on them thus immediately bringing more wildlife into your garden.
This is such an easy first step as it actually requires less work than before so sit back and relax while nature does the first bit of hard work for you.
Careful Control
Pest control solutions can be very strong so it’s worth investing in milder, or indeed completely natural, solutions in order to re-invite wildlife to your garden.
Using pesticides to stop slugs eating your plants might seem a good idea at first but you’ll soon realise that by killing the slugs, you’re killing off one of the main aphid predators and once you do that, the aphids will reproduce rapidly and end up eating more of your plants than the slugs ever would have.
This is just one reason to not use such strong chemicals in your garden, there are plenty of others and nearly all will benefit you so it’s a no brainer really.
Plant Herbs
This is a great way to make your garden work for you while also attracting wildlife, particularly insects. There’s really no excuse not to plant some herbs because it’ll save you money at the supermarket and it is sure to attract your much desired wildlife.
First will come the insects attracted to the herbs, then will come the predators attracted to the insects and so on and so forth until your garden is so full of life, you could open a British wildlife sanctuary.
Plant Flowers
Similarly, flowers will also help attract wildlife. The more colourful and scented, the better. Butterflies and bees are particularly attracted to flowers so by introducing more flowers to your garden, you’re guaranteed to attract nature’s prettier inhabitants for your viewing pleasure.
As we know, there’s been a lot of talk about the dying out of bee species which could be devastating to the world’s habitat in the future therefore doing your bit by providing a food source for them is vital and should be a must-do on any wildlife enthusiast’s list.
After they’re full up on all your delicious food sources, all these animals will start to look for shelter in your garden. Depending on what sort of animals you do – and don’t – want to attract to your garden, you’ll want to include different habitat options but the following are a good place to start.
Leave A Corner Of Your Garden Untouched
In fact, leave a load of old, unwanted items there. Things like old broken plant pots, soggy logs that are no good for the fire, swept up leave, they’re all great for animals looking for shelter and are a bonus food source for frogs, toads, newts and the like. Try not to disturb this little corner other than to add to it every now and again when, and you’ll have a garden bursting with life.
Plant Trees and Shrubs
Reviving or planting some trees and shrubs will provide shelter for many species such as bats, birds and wasps and bees surprisingly. Keep them neat and cared for so that they don’t get any diseases but don’t overly prune them because animals won’t settle here if they feel exposed. Plus, pruning away the materials for making nests and shelters won’t exactly encourage settlers.
Get Some Water Features
From ponds to upturned bin lids – any water will increase the wildlife representation in your garden tenfold. Obviously, the bigger your source of water, the more diverse wildlife you’ll attract but if you don’t have a lot of outdoor space, a simple bird table will bring in lots of fluttering wings for you to gawk at.
A few simple changes to your garden will have a big impact on the wildlife visiting and inhabiting your garden. One last piece of advice would be to invest in a compost bin. Composting is as good for humans as it is for wildlife and plant life; it provides food and shelter, is an excellent way for us to recycle and results in some of the most enriched and healthy soil available.
For more ways on how to improve your garden, get in touch with Minster Paving by calling 01865 300 252 or contact us online.
