Look after wildlife in winter

Be a hedgehog hero. Cut a CD-sized hole in your fence so they can forage without going on roads. Check with your neighbour first, of course!

These dead teasels and long bits of dried and dead grass will be picked over by birds and wildlife for food and nesting materials

Wildlife plants

They will provide food and shelter

Rotting leaves feed soil and shelter invertebrates

Look after wildlife in winter

There are several things you can do to help them, says Ruth

1Hedgehogs hibernate until late March or April, so if you see one out it may be ill. Wearing gloves, wrap it in a blanket in a box and take it to a hedgehog sanctuary. Call the British Hedgehog Preservation Society  01584 890 801 to find your local one.

2Ponds are an excellent source of drinking water for winter wildlife, so place a couple of balls in the water to prevent it freezing. Never hit ice to try to smash it as the reverberations can stun or kill fish or amphibians hiding in the water.

Hedges of native trees provide wildlife with food and shelter

As many native wildflowers vanish from the wild, our gardens are becoming havens for insects and the animals that feed on them. We can do our bit for wildlife by growing a range of plants that provide food and shelter for insects and larger creatures all year round. Early flowering plants such as snowdrops crocuses an winter heathers provide the year’s first nectar for insects such as queen bumblebee emerging from hibernation. A large clump of heather also provides shelter for overwintering insects and even hibernating mammals if it’s large enough. When sowing and planting, remember that single-petalled plants are more useful than hybrids, as the pollen and nectar are often more accessible. Try marigolds, sunflowers, daisies, borage, an assortment of herbs and knapweed, and don’t forget the aptly named honeywort (Cerinthe major)! Create a wildflower meadow, either by sowing seeds or dotting wildflower plug plants through the lawn in spring. Native and foreign trees and shrubs are also a useful addition, especially species with flowers and berries. They also provide valuable nesting sites and shelter. An early bee on winter heather