Top tips from Wildlife Gardeners

We asked, so you don’t have to

We asked our community of wildlife gardeners to give us their top tips of wildlife gardening and what they would have liked to know when starting their journey to help nature. This is what they said.

What would you say were the first five things you need to do when starting a wildlife garden?

• • Start things at a scale you can keep going and develop over time. Decide how to allocate space for wildlife and people.
• • Check what wildlife you already have and keep it – let things grow!
• • Keep an open mind and be willing to think outside the box.
• • Install a pond – everything needs water and no matter the size it will help.
• • Plan for year round interest (for you and nature)

A beginner gardener asked you for advice on how to get started with wildlife gardening, what would be your top five tips?

• • Look to local knowledge and experience – ask your community for advice. The NESBiP Wildlife Gardening Group is a great place for answers to questions or join events run by Countryside Rangers, local wildlife charities – you will learn a lot that way and meet lots of like-minded people.
• • Keep it simple, have a messy bit with sticks for frogs and bees to hide in!
• • Don’t be scared to fail at first, sometimes it’s about trail and error. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
• • Stop weeding and using pesticides. Whatever grows in your garden, give it a chance.
• • Look to see if there are any local habitats you can help “connect” by adding your garden.

If someone had a small garden/space what would you suggest people to do?

• • Use tubs and window boxes to increase planting space.
• • Remember to think about upwards as well. Climbing plants will give you lots more flowers, shelter for birds, nooks and crannies for the wee beasties.
• • Install a small pond, even if it’s just a basin. Fill with stones so wildlife can get in/out easier.
• • Small bird feeder – it will still attract birds in a small space.
• • Remember that even a small habitat is better than no habitat.

A person is renting and unable to change the landscape of their garden, what advice would you give them?

• • Speak with your letting agency or landlord before making any chances and explain why you want to do it.
• • Install temporary structures such as basin pond, tubs for planting, hanging baskets on fences, bird feeders.
• • Keep things “tidy”, adding borders to lawns or having strips of unmown lawn can do just as well.
• • Add native flowers to flower tubs or pots. You can cram loads in. Just remember to water them!

Watch our Wildlife Gardening playlist on YouTube to learn about more tips!

Every garden has the capacity to be a wildlife garden. Relax and go with the flow of nature and the seasons, and enjoy your little piece of planet earth.

Bumble Bee on a Thistle © Abbie Ferrar

Weeds are only flowers in the wrong place.

Small pond and planter © Joyce Forbes, Chair of Springhill Community Garden

Remember that the glamorous wildlife depends on the less obvious wee beasties to survive.