Encouraging Wildlife In Your Garden

Gardens can be incredibly magical spaces absolutely jam-packed with vibrant life. And part of that is being able to watch the wildlife come to your garden, from the comfort of your window. 

Here are some ways that you can bring wildlife into your garden.

Photo by Boris Smokrovic on Unsplash

Nesting boxes

There is something so joyful about hearing the tweeting baby birds come springtime. Nesting boxes will encourage birds to breed in your garden. Of course, you will need to have a look at the different kinds of birds that are naturally in the area. 

Make sure that you have nesting boxes that will suit their breed. Put them higher up where they are sheltered from the elements and make sure that if you have pets or children, they can’t be reached. 

Ideally, you will have nesting boxes up long before springtime so that you do not disrupt the birds during the breeding season.

Wildflowers

By now, almost everybody has heard of adding wildflowers for the garden. These beautiful areas of color really help to encourage bees and butterflies into your garden. If you are very keen on having lots of butterflies, then you should consider planting, but here it is a particular favourite of theirs. 

Any native species with a wide-open flower structure will be ideal for bees. Here are some great options

• Bluebells
• Foxgloves
• Cornflour
• Crocus

Birdbath

A birdbath or bird tables provide a fantastic space for birds to feed away from predators. The birdbath offers a great water source for drinking and washing. There are a considerable number of bird baths online that you can look at to find the perfect one. 

You need to ensure that your birdbath doesn’t freeze over in winter by pouring boiling water over it. If you happen to have a cat put a bell on its collar so that the birds get plenty of warning when they’re on the way to investigate.

Wild space

Although it might irk you in the early days, leaving a little bit of wild lawn to mimic a meadow will entice a range of other mammals the feed on grass or insects. You can also use a pile of deadwood in this area to encourage grubs and beetles, which will also draw in larger mammals.

Grow a hedge

If you have the space to do so, then growing a hedge is a great idea. Hedges can provide great nesting areas for birds and other small animals. Great hedge options include cherryplum, hawthorn, and blackthorn. Climbers and creepers also provide extra foliage and living areas for birds and insects.

Hang bird feed

If you have enough space or can reach some of the lower branches on a tree, try to hang some Birdfield feeders that are brimming with unsalted peanuts or fat balls that you can buy from the shop. 

You could also consider getting ones with suction pads if you would like a close-up view and place these on the window. You can also buy squirrel proof bird feeder is if you are worried about squirrels stealing all the food. 

Of course, the squirrels are a lot of fun to watch, so make sure you have something that they can eat. A great tip is that birds love bacon rind and grated cheese.

Water feature

If you are really looking to die debt diversify your garden is an ecosystem, then a water feature will help attract so many different creatures. A pond will allow you to keep fish and frogs as well.  When the water warm is up, you are likely to attract beautiful insects such as dragonflies. You can decorate the water with water lilies and broad leaf pondweed to help develop your underwater habitat too.  Although if you have children, you need to make the necessary safety arrangements.

Other mammals

If you are very keen on having things like hedgehogs, then you can buy a unique feed for them from garden suppliers. If you are local to an area that has badgers, they will often eat unsalted nuts seeds, root vegetables, and fruit. 

However, many people still put out milk and bread for these nocturnal creatures; this causes digestive problems for these animals. It is much safer to try and stick to a diet they would find in nature, and this would include water. Small trays of water dotted around the garden will ensure any hedgehogs are well catered for. You can even purchase a hedgehog house to offer the hedgehogs a safe place to hibernate during the winter.

Herbs and flowers

As well as being attractive to many insects, you ideally want pollinators to come into your garden. So, while the wildflower garden is a great idea, there should be other areas of your garden brimming with blooms too. Herbs and flowers are generally very low-energy for keeping in the garden. So if you have the space in borders or even parts tried to plant plenty. If you are looking to keep away some insects, it might be interesting for you to know that peppermint and mint plants quite often deter things like spiders.

Creating space for nature in your garden is not only good for you and your children, but it’s great for the environment too. There is a lot of joy to be had when you are sipping your morning coffee in the springtime and hearing the baby birds cheap from a box that you have put up or seeing a range of butterflies and bees pollinate your flowers. Even though you might not ever see the nocturnal creatures simply by taking care of them with food and water, you’re doing your bit.  While it’s wonderful to keep an eye on what’s going on, try to avoid interfering in a way that may not benefit the wildlife. If you really want to observe and photograph try and use purpose-built surveillance cameras. The biggest bonus is once you have established your beautiful, welcoming garden you and the wildlife will be able to enjoy year-on-year.