There are many ways you can help wildlife, and you don’t even need a garden to do that - simply having a window box planted with flowers and a shallow dish of water can make a huge difference. 

You could add a solitary bee box, bug hotel or bat box to your wall. But, mostly importantly… stop being so tidy! Let areas grow wild, pile the leaves and dead branches in a hidden spot and, every now and then, stop and look around - you will be surprised at how much life is around you.

Hayley Cook - Links with Nature Conservation Officer

Over the last 5 years we have been converting the garden to be more wildlife friendly and more sustainable. We built a compost bin using pallets and bought a large waterbutt ahead of the dry spells, and planning on raised beds for growing produce.  

We have apples, pear and plums trees, along with a recently planted native hedge including hawthorn, guilder rose, holly and two rowans. We dug in a hibernaculum, a small dead hedge against the live hedge, planting various plants and wildflowers, bat boxes, bird boxes, bug hotels and more.

We added a larger pond last year in August and by September we had Common Darters breeding along with various other aquatic insects. The hedgehogs and birds use it regularly for a drink or a bath, and we have planted a variety of species, along with a boggy patch in between the ponds. 

Our first pond has been very successful with amphibians such as smooth newts breeding and common frogs using it. Both ponds are home to the newts with a minimum of 16 newts counted in one night earlier this month! 

Both have a log pile mounded with soil to create shelter for the amphibians. In the dry spell, red mason bees were collecting the damp soil from the log pile to take to their nests. 

We removed a large leylandii hedge to open up more light, which has proven successful for invertebrates and the wildflower seeds we sowed taking well including red campion, yarrow and yellow rattle. We kept some of the stumps and drilled holes in for solitary bees. We keep small patches of bramble, thistles and nettles as these are just as important for invertebrates. 

Below the copper beech boarder, we have a mini stumpery along with planted species that thrive in shade including ferns. The bird bath is close to the shrubs, to protect the birds from predators. 

Stuart - Links with Nature Volunteer

We only have a small back garden, but we love watching the birds that are attracted by the bird feeders. Yesterday and today, a starling has brought her youngsters to our garden. They are still asking her to feed them, so as you can see from 2 of the attached photos, the mam is taking a piece of peanut from the feeder and giving it to her demanding young one... 

We'll see how long it takes him/her to get the idea that he/she can feed himself/herself... 😉

Carol - Links with Nature Volunteer

I created a mini pond using this galvanised tin bath (below left). No creatures have moved in yet, but fingers crossed!

Every garden needs a scruffy corner for the water butt and compost bins (below right). You can get a reduced price water butt from the council as they want to encourage their use.

I also made a bit of a feature out of this old tree stump - there is now some very interesting fungus growing on it.

Stumperies were often used in Victorian gardens, but are making a comeback to gardens of today due to their wildlife benefits. They are perfect for shady corners and not only are they full of nooks and crannies for invertebrates to shelter in, you can plant ferns or bluebells.  Filling the gaps with soil, or half burying the stump can create height and interest. You can include them around your pond with some submerged into the pond, which will shelter amphibians and allow certain dragonfly species an opportunity to lay into the gnarly gaps.   

We love hearing about all of the different ways you are gardening for wildlife! For more inspiration on how to help wildlife in your outdoor space, please visit our Gardening for Wildlife page.