How to attract wildlife, in time for Garden Wildlife Week
31 May marks the start of Garden Wildlife Week, an opportunity to celebrate the ecosystems in people’s gardens and explore ways to help them flourish.
Wildlife is very important in maintaining a balance in nature from an ecological, economic, investigatory, and conservation of biodiversity standpoint. Because of habitat loss, climate change and pesticides, species such as stag beetles, hedgehogs, bats, song thrushes and sparrows are on the decline in the UK, but they can find refuge in people’s gardens, which can act as mini nature reserves.
Shannen Godwin, spokesperson for one of the leading plant and bulb companies in the UK, Parker’s, says, “The Garden Wildlife Week is not about the big milestones you have or can achieve in the conservation of wildlife. Rather, it’s about the little things you can do. This starts at home. Simple activities such as growing your own plants and becoming a wildlife watcher can help contribute to the conservation and preservation of wildlife nationally, slowing down the risk the endangered species face. If you want to attract wildlife, you can learn how you can make a home habitat in your garden.”
Clever techniques such as building ponds, creating compost and choosing carefully your garden plants are among the activities that will draw wildlife to your home.
How to attract birds into your garden
Making your garden a bird-haven involves taking care of three key things – food, water, and shelter. The first thing you need to do is install some bird feeders. These feeders encourage birds to stop by the garden and get the food they’d have to search vastly in the wild for.
Some of the foods you can supply include suet balls, which robins, long-tailed tits, and blue-tits love. Sunflower hearts are another viable option. They’re rich in protein and a favorite among robins, siskins, and finches. Niger seeds, mealworms, and peanuts would also be perfect.
Next, you need to provide fresh water to the birds. They use water not only for drinking but also for bathing. A bowl of water or a birdbath would suffice.
Finally, a place to nest will greatly determine whether birds would love spending time in your garden. You can buy nesting boxes which you should install in a safe place for the birds to nest. You can choose from open-fronted nest boxes, which are ideal for wrens and robins; classic small-holed nest boxes that serve a wide variety of birds; or sparrow terraces that are perfect for sparrows that breed in colonies.
You can plant different shrubs/trees/flowers that will either provide food for birds in the form of seeds, berries or nectar, give shelter and warmth under dense foliage or they will attract insects which birds and other wildlife can feed off.
Here are some of our top choices: Honeysuckle, Rowan, Viburnum Opulus and Holly.
How to attract bees into your garden
Bees are great to have around the garden. You want them in your garden to feast off your flowers to make them continue to pollinate and keep your garden looking spectacular. Bees love blue, purple and yellow flowers and plants so keep that in mind when planning your garden displays.
Here are some tips to help bees do their jobs as pollinators:
- Plant single flower plants as most double flowers make it difficult for the bees to get the pollen and nectar.
- Avoid using pesticides wherever possible.
- Provide water for pollinators using a shallow dish filled with stones/marbles and water to provide a safe water source.
Bee-friendly plants include Dahlias, Asters, Sedums, Cornflower and Heather.
Bringing the other animals in
To create a haven for other animals, you need to bear in mind the same resources – food, water, and shelter. For food, you can buy special feeds for the different animals you wish to attract. For instance, you can get special feed for hedgehogs from garden suppliers, while a bag of unsalted nuts and seeds, root vegetables, and fruit would feed badgers well.
A pond, or any other water feature, will not only provide water but also diversify the ecosystem in your garden. You can keep fish in a pond plus attract frogs and insects such as dragonflies to your garden. These same installments can provide shelter for these animals as well, making them not just regular visitors but also inhabitants.
You can also have compost and piles of dead wood. These are magnets for grubs and beetles which in turn attract larger foragers in your garden.
Ladybugs
- There are several pollen plants that attract ladybugs. These tend to be yellow and white, such as Angelica, Cosmos and Fennel.
- Plant aphid-attracting decoy plants including: Early Cabbage, Marigold and Radish.
Ladybugs eat two things: insect pests and pollen, and there are several pollen plants that ladybugs like, including: Calendula, Chives, Cosmos and Marigold.
Bats
Did you know that attracting bats to your garden is one of the safest and most efficient methods for natural insect control? One little brown bat can eat 1,200 insects per hour.
A great bat-attracting method is to build a bat house to provide a warm cosy shelter for the creatures. Since bats tend to set up colonies in the early spring, building a bat house is the perfect winter project! Some tips are:
- Use a rough, nontoxic wood (such as plywood or cedar) to make your box. The rough surface will make it easier for bats to climb in and out of the house.
- Place in a warm, sunny position for warmth.
- Keep it close to a freshwater source (pond, stream).
- Support on a pole or the side of a building.
The key to attracting bats to your garden is to plant night-scented flowers, such as Yucca and Evening Primrose.
Frogs
Attracting frogs to your garden is beneficial for the welfare of your plants as they are great insect killers.
- Build toad houses – overturned flower pots buried lightly in the soil make great shelters.
- Avoid using pesticides in your garden. Frogs are sensitive to chemicals so use natural sources of nutrients in your garden such as compost.
- Keep pets away from the part of the garden set up for attracting frogs.
Toads, as well as female frogs usually spend winter on land, under rockery stones or in a log pile. Recommended rock plants are: Aubretia, Hardy Geraniums and Sedums.
Hedgehogs
Just like the shrew and the vole, the hedgehog is an insectivore with a voracious appetite. An adult hedgehog can eat up to 200 grams of insects per night, making the perfect pest controller in your garden. So, why not attract them to the garden with a few small tips and help these little creatures as their population has dropped in recent years? Here are some tips to draw these little creatures into your garden:
- Leave areas of the garden naturally unkempt with fallen leaves, twigs and dead vegetation, which they can use to build nests.
- Leave bowls of water out in the winter as hedgehogs drink lots of water. Top the water up regularly.
- Avoid using slug pellets as they are fatal for hedgehogs.
Hedges provide a great habitat for hedgehogs as they provide free access between gardens, unlike walls and fences. Species with large deciduous leaves are great for hedgehogs collecting leaves for their nests. Here are some top picks: Beech, Berberis, Buddleia and Pyracantha.
Let’s conserve wildlife, one week at a time
“Plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife, are in fact plans to protect man.” Stay true to Stewart Udall’s words, and celebrate Garden Wildlife Week whenever you have the opportunity.
