How to Attract Wildlife to Your Garden
March 25, 2022
Love the sound of birds tweeting, the sight of a hedgehog ambling along and the buzz of bees as they fly by? Given the last few years, we all have a newfound appreciation for our gardens, so there’s no doubt these sights and sounds would be welcome for many. Luckily, with the right know-how, you can enjoy all of this in your garden with just a few changes here and there.
Attracting bees, hedgehogs and more to your garden doesn’t mean you have to compromise the way it looks. There are lots of things you can do to encourage biodiversity, whether it’s a small tweak or a large(ish) change. So take your pick of our top tips on how to attract wildlife to your garden and get ready to enjoy a space that’s packed with life!
1. Encourage Bees to Your Garden with Wildflowers
Wildflowers are fantastic for all sorts of insects and pollinators like butterflies and bees. They provide pollen and nectar which is important for food pollination, they offer a source of food for birds and have a myriad other benefits. Try poppies or pollen- and nectar-rich plants like salvia, lavender and rudbeckia. Wildflower seeds like these will turn your garden into a riot of colour with stunning blue cornflowers, pretty poppies and more.
2. Let a Patch of Grass Grow Long
If you don’t quite have enough room for a wildflower meadow, simply let a patch of grass grow longer. This will provide shelter for small mammals like mice and voles and give some caterpillars something to eat.
If your garden’s big enough you could make a meadow of your lawn with this Harrowden Meadowmat Species-Rich Lawn Turf. Its colourful mix of flowering plants and grasses is both pretty and pollinator-friendly.
3. Attract Bees and More with an Insect Hotel
Bee numbers are falling at a worrying rate – without them we’d have a huge food shortage – so by installing an insect hotel you’ll be giving them a helping hand. This Natures Feast Garden Insect House provides a snug, safe place for ladybirds, solitary bees, lacewings and other beneficial insects.
4. Encourage Birds into Your Garden with a Bird Box
Bird boxes, when placed somewhere that’s sheltered from the elements, can encourage wild birds to breed. To really make the most of your biodiverse garden you could even set up your very own wildlife channel with a bird camera.
5. Attract Hedgehogs to Your Garden with a Hedgehog Highway
Providing a way for these prickly creatures to pass freely through your garden is the most important way to help their declining numbers – cue hedgehog highways! Simply cut out a small ‘door’ in the bottom of your fence so they can roam on through, instead of blocking their path when they’re looking for food and mates. (Check out hedgehogstreet.org for help with how to make your highway.)
On a similar note, hedgehogs love dog and cat food, dried fruit and cooked veg, so leave some out and you’ll hopefully have a few hedgehogs ambling in. Just be careful not to give them bread or milk as these types of foods can make them ill.
Read on for more on how to attract hedgehogs to your garden…
6. Compile the Compost
As well as making healthy soil, which is good for everything growing and living in it, compost is a fantastic home for lots of small creatures. It also attracts hedgehogs, birds and frogs, who feed on the smaller animals and insects. And the list doesn’t stop there – due to the heat created from the decomposition, you might even spot a grass snake! Read our blog on how to make compost and learn what you can and can’t add to your heap.
7. Attract Birds with a Bird Table and Bath
What better enjoyment is there than hearing the birds chirping while they enjoy a hearty snack? Attract birds to your garden with a bird table and lots of food like peanuts, seeds and suet. Add a bird bath and you’ll have them lingering for longer while they have a dip.
8. Introduce Hedges and Brambles
Hedges are a haven for biodiversity thanks to all the shelter they offer, and brambles are even better as they’re a source of food. If you live close to a woodland area then you may well be in dormouse habitat, and could attract this cute – yet now increasingly endangered – species with shrubs that feature lateral branches, fruits and berries. You could even try putting up a dormouse nest box.
9. Bring in the Butterflies
10. Grow Native Plants
Growing native plants is a no-brainer when it comes to biodiversity: They support the local wildlife that has evolved with the local flora. Some types of butterfly and moth, for example, will only ever lay their eggs on specific native plants (like Common Nettle, Common Rock Rose or Common Dog Violet). Choose your favourites from our selection of seeds and live plants.
11. Plant Trees
Trees provide cover and nesting sites for a whole array of different animals, like insects, squirrels and birds. They attract the wildlife with fruit, flowers and seeds and make a cosy sheltered home. If you have space, plant more than one tree to create a larger habitat and draw in even more wildlife. Browse our range of shrubs and trees – we’re sure you’ll find one to suit your space.
12. Grow Climbing Plants
There are lots of plants that encourage wildlife, but climbing plants are some of the best. They create shelter for nesting birds and hibernating insects, nectar for pollinators, berries for birds and leaves for caterpillars. Ivy is a top choice as it’s an evergreen habitat that lasts all year round, but wisteria, clematis and star jasmine are also excellent (check out our seeds and live plants for inspiration on what to plant!). Trellises are great for climbing plants so add one to your wall to get them started.
