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Creating a wildlife friendly garden

While many of us enjoy a good summer heatwave, it’s not always such a treat for the local wildlife. Birds, bees, and bugs can struggle in the heat, especially if food and water are in short supply.

The good news is, it doesn’t take much to make your garden a little sanctuary for them. Even the smallest changes can make a real difference. Here are some simple ideas to get you started.

Create a mini pot pond

You don’t need a big garden or space for a full-sized pond – an old plant pot or bucket can do the job just fine. Add some large pebbles or stones so wildlife can perch safely, and fill it with clean water. Make sure some of the stones stick out above the water so birds and insects can drink and bathe safely.

To keep the water fresh and healthy, pop in some native pond plants like Hornwort or Willow Moss – they’ll help stop the water going stagnant. These little ponds can attract frogs, dragonflies, and birds – and they look lovely too.

Plant wildflowers

If you’ve got a small patch of soil or even space for a planter, scattering some wildflower seeds can be a real boost for pollinators like bees and butterflies. A mix of perennials, dandelions, and herbs like lavender, thyme or chives can give them food right through the growing season.

Instead of giving tired bees sugar water (which doesn’t actually help long-term), give them access to nectar from flowers. Honeysuckle and evening primrose are great night-bloomers that give off scent after dark – brilliant for attracting nighttime pollinators like moths.

DIY bird feeder

The easiest way to attract more birds to your garden is by hanging a seed feeder from a tree or fence. Making one out of a plastic bottle is simple.

If you’ve got squirrels around (and who doesn’t?), you might want to go for a squirrel-proof version – they’re designed so only smaller birds can reach the food.

Different food attracts different birds, for example mealworms are great for sparrows and blackbirds and niger seeds are a favourite of goldfinches.

Don’t forget to give feeders a regular clean with hot water and mild disinfectant – it helps stop the spread of disease. And try not to hang them directly under branches or wires where birds perch, to avoid contamination from droppings.

Leave your garden to grow

One of the easiest things you can do to encourage wildlife into your garden is to leave part of it alone. Letting the grass grow longer in a small patch gives butterflies a place to lay their eggs and creates shelter for small mammals like voles, shrews, and wood mice. Climbers like ivy are great too – they provide shelter all year round and nesting spots for birds.

You don’t have to go wild with it, just being a little less tidy in certain corners can go a long way.

Build cosy shelters

Stack up some logs, twigs, or even an old crate in a quiet corner to create a hideout for insects, frogs, and hopefully hedgehogs too. If you’re lucky enough to get a hedgehog, they’ll return the favour by eating up slugs and snails, nature’s own pest control!

Setting up a compost heap with vegetable peelings, grass clippings, and old coffee grounds can feed hedgehogs, toads, and even slow worms. You can buy a compost bin or simply build a pile using what you’ve got around. Old pallets or wooden boxes work well.

Bats are fantastic at keeping insect numbers down. One little brown bat can eat over 1,000 insects in an hour! If you’d like to encourage them, consider putting up a bat box made from rough wood like cedar or plywood. They like to roost in high, sheltered spots like tree trunks or house eaves.

Why not give one of these ideas a go this weekend? Your local wildlife will thank you and your garden might just feel a little more alive for it!