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A Guide to Garden Wildlife

Wildlife can make its home in our gardens in many different ways. There are lots of things we can do, from planting to maintenance, that will make them as welcome as possible.

A Home For Nature

Making our gardens wildlife friendly doesn’t necessarily mean that we have to leave them to grow into wild jungles. Every space, whether it’s a huge estate or a busy family garden, can give a home to nature.

There are lots of simple things we can do to help the animals we share a space with, from making sure that they have access to different habitats, to nurturing well-stocked feeding grounds for them.

A wildlife friendly garden is accessible to everyone whatever space we’ve got, whether we’re maintaining an established garden, or creating a new one altogether.

Here are some key factors for a great wildlife-friendly garden.

Habitats

Even the smallest of gardens can offer up a huge variety of different habitats for wildlife. There are lots of ways we can introduce, or let nature create, a diverse range of homes for nature in our outdoor spaces.

It’s good to create as many habitats as possible without cramming too much in. Think about the space you have available and focus on making these microhabitats as good as they can be.

You may not even realize that some of the most common unassuming garden features can house thriving worlds of wildlife.

Lawns, especially areas of uncut long grass, are an important habitat for all sorts of insects and minibeasts, not to mention a feasting ground for the hungry birds which feed on them.

Borders, filled with flowering plants and shrubs, provide nectar-rich food for butterflies and bees, as well as seeds, berries, and cover for birds and small mammals.

Trees and hedges offer roosting and nesting sites for birds and mammals, as well as valuable shelter and cover from the elements and possible predators.

Ponds and water features can be a habitat for a huge variety of animal life, from amphibians and invertebrates to bathing garden birds.

Even woodpiles, compost, and trimmings—the decomposing and discarded off-cuts from your garden—can be incredible places for animals to live, feed, and hibernate.
Our gardens can be busy worlds of wildlife, heaving with nature.

To Breed & Shelter

A basic need for all wildlife is somewhere safe to breed and shelter. A garden can give this in many ways to many things.

• Growing climbers against walls can provide brilliant shelter, as well as roosting and breeding sites for birds.

• Trees, bushes and hedgerows can also be great havens for the bird world, as well as small mammals like hedgehogs. As a place for cover from predators and a safe spot to build a nest, these can be invaluable.

• Providing bird boxes, bat boxes and hedgehog homes can be a great way of introducing good artificial shelters into nature. Natural roosting and nesting sites can be increasingly hard for animals to find and our gardens give us the chance to give them an ongoing safe alternative.

• Butterflies need breeding sites too, and growing the right plants can give them a place to breed and lay their eggs. Honesty and hedge garlic can be good for orange tip butterflies and buckthorn bushes are favourites for breeding brimstones.

• Dead wood, trimmings and old foliage can be a valuable hiding place for beetles and other insects and minibeasts, as well as fungi and moss.

• Leaving areas of grass to grow wild can give all sorts of wildlife a place to hide and breed. If you are looking to cut back overgrown areas, or untidy borders, wait until late winter or early spring, to give any minibeasts sheltering from the cold winter month the chance to move on.

To Forage & Feed

Another essential feature of a wildlife-friendly garden is a variety of places for different animal residents to forage and feed.
Of course, we can provide food for some of them, such as birds and hedgehogs, but there are lots of ways we can help nature provide too.

• A range of plants that flower and seed at varied times throughout the year will provide food for the animals and insects that are active and feeding over different periods.

• Berry bushes and fruit trees will offer another source of valuable and irresistible seasonal food. Ivy is a great source of autumn nectar for insects and late winter fruit for birds.

• An array of colorful nectar-rich flowers will attract bees, wasps, butterflies, and other insects.

• If you create a garden full of minibeasts and insects, you’re also providing a rich feeding ground for insect-eating birds, grub-hungry chicks, and minibeast-eating mammals like hedgehogs and bats!

• A source of clean, safe water is as important as food, whether it’s a larger pond or a small dish.

• One of the best things you can do to help butterflies and moths is to make sure their caterpillars have the right plants to feed on. A variety of different host plants will attract a more diverse range of butterflies and caterpillars.

Thinking Sustainably

Being sustainable and thinking of the environment is another important part of wildlife friendly gardening.
So many of our actions have an impact on wildlife which goes beyond our gardens, and it’s important for us to think about this when choosing materials and creating our spaces.

• Avoid peat-based compost, as peat extraction destroys vital habitats. Try alternative compost options or make your own using a composter or compost heap.

• Collect rainwater in water butts or barrels to reduce reliance on tap water. Pond life also prefers natural rainwater.

• Choose FSC-accredited garden furniture and charcoal to support sustainable forestry.

• Use native plants that are genuinely native, not of continental origin. Ensure wildflowers are cultivated from legally collected seeds rather than taken from the wild.

• Recycle and reuse materials for garden projects. Reclaimed wood, old pallets, and scaffold planks make great materials for building raised borders and other structures.

• Avoid pesticides and opt for non-toxic, chemical-free alternatives to protect garden wildlife.

Found Sick or Injured Wildlife?

Visit helpwildlife.co.uk for advice on how to help sick, injured or orphaned wildlife.

Related Blogs

How to Attract Specific Bird Species with the Right Foods, Seeds, and Suets

UK Wild Bird Nesting: A Guide to Supporting Our Feathered Friends

Seasonal Support for UK Wild Birds: A Year-Round Guide