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 Garden
for Wildlife
It
is a joy to see wildlife in our gardens and they can be
beneficial too. How do we encourage them?
Birds of the Garden
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Many of us are thrilled
when we see a variety of birds and other wildlife in our
garden. We admire the beauty of dragonflies and butterflies
and love to see them. Then there are all the beneficial
insects like bees and ladybirds (ladybugs). There are things
we can do to encourage them to visit or make their homes
in our gardens.
Organic
gardening
is an important element in encouraging wildlife. Aggressive
use of pesticides will kill beneficial insects as well as
those that do damage. Poisonous slug pellets may kill toads
and birds that eat slugs and snails. These are just two
points to consider in favour of using organic methods.
Old
brick or stone walls provide holes for birds
to nest in while spiders and beetles will live in the cracks.
You can also fix bird nesting boxes to the wall as well
as placing them in other areas in the garden. The warmth
the wall gives out during a sunny day will attract butterflies.
A wall doesn't have to be
plant free either. Put a little soil in crevices and a whole
variety of plants can be encouraged to grow there including:
- alyssums
- campanula
- aubrietia
- helianthemums
- sedums
- wallflowers
Bird
tables are
a well known way of attracting birds. You should position
it carefully. Of course you want the pleasure of watching
the birds but place the table somewhere you can see it from
a window but in a relatively peaceful place where nobody
frequently walks past it. It should not be near any trees,
walls or other places where cats can hide and then pounce.
It should also be in a sheltered position where it is not
subject to strong winds. Don't forget to provide water too.
Berries
on shrubs like rowan, hawthorn, blackthorn and elder provide
birds and other animals like hedgehogs with shelter and
food particularly during autumn and winter.
Nectar
producing plants
are a great attraction for butterflies and other beneficial
insects. These include:
- buddleia - commonly known
as the butterfly bush
- hebe
- lavender
- sweet william
- verbena
- michaelmas daisy
Garden
ponds are
a great resource and attraction for wildlife in the garden.
They attract dragonflies, pond skaters and water beetles
as well as toads and frogs which will help give snails and
slugs under control. You might also find that the pond attracts
birds, hedgehogs and foxes who use it as their local waterhole.
Make sure that the pond has a shallow end and that hedgehogs,
or other creatures, that fall in have the means to get out.
Naturalistic planting around the pond will give wildlife
shelter and camouflage. If you make a little stream into
the pond, build in a small flat section where the water
is quiet and you will be surprised how many birds will use
it as a bird bath. Do make sure, though, that there are
no nearby places for cats to lie in wait.
Rocks
and logs will
give shelter to insects and toads so don't tidy all of your
garden too aggressively.
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