I like to encourage local bird, bee And what about other wild animals? No matter how big or small, your garden can A haven for wild animals, encourage rescue & care coordinator Tarnya Knight.
There are many ways to make your garden wildlife friendly, but did you know that the best way to start is by doing nothing?! In 2019, wildlife conservation charity Plantlife launched the No Mow initiative. We have started a campaign called “May'' and you can participate.
An easy way to encourage wildflowers is to “let the lawn grow” and not mow all or part of the grass during May. These flowers are an important food source for pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and bats, just to name a few. Long grasses and wildflowers also help prevent pollution and trap carbon underground.
But there are many other easy ways to make your garden wildlife-friendly. And even if you don't have a garden, you can still help wildlife in your neighborhood by volunteering at your local wildlife hospital or joining a local wildlife group.
You can make your garden more wildlife friendly.
Compost piles and log piles provide good hiding places for frogs and toads. You can easily make a toad house by turning a flowerpot upside down, making a hole in the side, and filling it with leaves.- Night-scented flowers such as honeysuckle and evening primrose can help attract bats. Bat boxes provide a safe place for bats to roost. However, keep it as high as possible and do not apply preservatives, as it is toxic to bats.
- Leave part of your garden “wild.” Wildflowers and plants grow and create much-needed habitat.
- A hedgehog house provides a safe haven and resting place for hedgehogs. It should be placed in a quiet, shady place in the garden where it will not be disturbed.
- Avoid using slug pellets. Many contain metaldehyde, which kills a variety of wildlife, including hedgehogs.
- If you must use netting for your plants, make sure it is at least 1 foot above the ground. Otherwise, your hedgehog could become entangled in the net and be seriously injured or killed.
- Whether it's small or large, building a pond will attract lots of wildlife. Place the pond in a sunny part of your garden and include at least one gently sloping surface or slope to provide escape for hedgehogs and other critters. If you have small children and are concerned about the dangers of ponds, a bog garden may be an ideal option.
- Always use peat-free compost in your garden. Peatlands are habitats for insects, animals and plants, and peat removal has a negative impact on the wildlife that use the peat.
- Planting native shrubs, trees, and hedgerows provides food and shelter for a variety of wildlife.
- Make holes in your garden fence at a suitable height to allow your hedgehog to roam freely from garden to garden.
- Set up a bird table/feeder and a bird tank. Make sure these are cleaned and refilled with fresh water regularly.
Check out other easy ways to help wildlife
