Embracing a wildlife-friendly approach to gardening is about fostering a balanced ecosystem where plants, animals, and humans coexist harmoniously. By incorporating wildlife-friendly practices into your garden, you not only contribute to the preservation of local biodiversity but also create a tranquil retreat where you can reconnect with nature.

Why Choose a Wildlife-Friendly Garden?

Embracing a wildlife-friendly approach to gardening is about fostering a balanced ecosystem where plants, animals, and humans coexist harmoniously. By incorporating wildlife-friendly practices into your garden, you not only contribute to the preservation of local biodiversity but also create a tranquil retreat where you can reconnect with nature.

The Benefits of a Wildlife-Friendly Garden:

  1. Biodiversity: Diverse plant species attract a variety of insects, birds, amphibians and mammals, creating a thriving ecosystem within your garden
  2. Providing for pollinators: Our pollinators are in decline, but by providing food and habitat in the form of shrubs, trees and wildflowers, we can help these struggling insects
  3. Natural pest control: Encouraging natural predators such as ladybirds, frogs and birds helps control pests without the need for harmful chemicals

Wildflower meadow

Getting started with your wildlife-friendly garden

To attract a large range of species, the key is to create a range of habitats for creatures to find food, hide from predators, shelter from the weather, hibernate, lay eggs and rear young. So when you’re planning your wildlife garden, think in terms of providing food, water, shelter and breeding spots for the animals you hope to attract. What areas do you already have that are providing one or more of these things for wildlife? Which areas can be improved?

  1. Assess your space: Evaluate your garden’s current layout, soil quality, sunlight exposure, and existing plant life to determine the best approach for enhancing its wildlife potential.
  2. Choose a range of plants with different shapes and colours of flowers. Opt for mostly native plant species that are well-adapted to your region’s climate and soil conditions, providing essential food and shelter for local wildlife.
  3. Create habitat: Incorporate a variety of habitats, including meadows, ponds, log piles, hedgerows, and woodland areas, to provide shelter and breeding spots for a variety of wildlife.
  4. Provide water: Dig a wildlife pond, install a bird bath, or dot shallow dishes filled with water and pebbles around the garden to offer drinking and bathing opportunities for birds, insects, mammals and other wildlife.
  5. Let it grow: Let your lawn, or an area of your lawn grow longer to encourage daisies, dandelion and other wildflowers which provide a buffet for bees and other pollinators.
  6. Avoid pesticides: Eliminate the use of chemical pesticides and fertilisers, opting instead for organic and sustainable gardening practices.

Learn more about these topics over on the Wildlife Garden Project website.

Get a helping hand

Wildlife gardening doesn’t have to be difficult, and you don’t have to do everything at once – even small steps in your garden can make a huge difference. However, sometimes we all need a little help. There are lots of reasons why people choose to get a little help from a professional. Maybe you’d like someone to create a design and plant list for your garden to help you get started, or maybe you simply don’t have the time, energy or skills to keep on top of things. 

On the Wildlife Garden Directory you can discover skilled gardeners, designers and landscapers in your local area who specialise in designing, creating and maintaining wildlife friendly spaces. So if you need a little help creating your wildlife haven, take a little look:

Search for a wildlife-friendly gardener