One sign of a good garden is that it attracts wildlife, whether it’s the smallest fly or the chirpiest bird. Nothing brings the ambiance of nature into your personal world like frequent visits from our animal friends!
If you want your garden to be a haven for wildlife, here are a few tips to help you turn it into one:
- The first thing to do is just relax. Your garden doesn’t have to be insanely tidy. Besides, some forms of wildlife love it.
- Avoid using pesticides. It helps to go organic, as the number of insects, birds and other forms of wildlife that come to your garden will come in their droves and will want to stay there for the duration of the summer.
- Some insects love wildflowers. By planting them, they will find more reason to come to your garden and make it their new habitat. An added bonus of planting wildflowers in your garden is that they require very little maintenance.
- Planting a tree in your garden will attract plenty of wildlife. Among the many reasons why are that birds can nest in it, animals such as squirrels can also make their home there and, by adding feeding tables, birds will come and go.
- On a similar note, it’s worth planting a hedge. Asides from giving you some privacy, many insects, birds and even hedgehogs will either make their home here or at least come there to feast on the berries that grow on the hedge.
- Erect a nectar border. By looking in wildlife books for the best nectar plants, you’ll be able to choose the right flowers which will provide enough pollen to attract bees and other wildlife for at least a few months, if not longer.
- To attract butterflies, make a meadow in your garden. Ideally, this would consist of long grass and meadow flowers which will allow them to not only lay their eggs but also feed on the nectar in the flowers.
- A wildlife pond will be a great addition to your garden. As well as looking beautiful, frogs, toads, birds, mammals and even insects such as dragonflies will come to bathe, drink, feed and, if they like it, live.
- To attract birds to your garden, erect a feeding table. You can do this all year round, which will keep your garden buzzing even during the bleakest winters.
- When trying to attract wildlife to your garden, it’s important to be both patient and tolerant. If you see a weed or insect you’re not fond of, you should bear in mind that they can be fed on by larger animals.
A beautiful garden adds character and beauty to any property. A garden that is frequently visited by wildlife adds joy to life!
About the author: This article was contributed by Interflora.co.uk. Photo courtesy of ArtSpeak.