2 minute read
Back to Nature
© Janet Packham
© Joshua Copping
Go wild in your garden this autumn
Lin Cummins of North Wales Wildlife Trust describes how your garden could be part of a blooming, buzzing and growing network for nature.
J Find some sheltered space in your garden - under a hedge, by the shed or the log pile - and heap up dead leaves, bark and twigs to make a great place for bugs and beetles to shelter or overwinter. A hedgehog may even be tempted to move in! J A garden pond is one of the best features for attracting wildlife to the garden including hedgehogs, birds and other creatures that need a fresh drinking source. J Please don’t use weed killers or pesticides – they are pretty nasty chemicals and really harmful to wildlife. Many so-called ‘weeds’ like dandelions, thistles and nettles are hugely beneficial to pollinators and provide food for
butterfly larvae too.
Those of us fortunate enough to have gardens will not need reminding how nature brightens our lives with birdsong, vibrant colour and the busy buzzing of bees.
But did you know that the UK’s gardens cover more land than all of the national nature reserves combined? Their importance for wildlife, and our wellbeing, is without doubt. How we care for our gardens can make a big difference to the natural world – a world that, sadly, is in big trouble right now. With many of our garden visitors like hedgehogs, bees, bats, even sparrows and song thrushes, in decline it’s good to know there’s something we can do to help.
When you garden for wildlife your patch – whatever its size – becomes part of a much bigger network for nature. Connecting up with other gardens, nature reserves and wild spaces creates a green corridor joining up havens for wildlife. Wildlife-friendly gardening is about creating shelter and providing food, water and nesting sites, as well as using methods that protect the environment.
Some tips for your garden this autumn: J Don’t be too tidy. Small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, Happy gardening for wildlife! n
© Penny Frith
birds and insects will all benefit from undisturbed areas
of grass, stones or logs, and they will return the favour by helping control pests in your garden. J Autumn is a good time to sow a wildflower patch. It’s a
great way to attract bees, butterflies and other beneficial
Is your garden a haven for wildlife?
Find out by taking North Wales Wildlife Trust’s wildlife gardening survey.
You’ll receive free gardening tips on how to attract wildlife. You could also win a one-to-one consultation with North Wales Wildlife Trust’s gardening experts plus other prizes including a £50 wildlife gardening voucher.
