How garden wildlife works

As gardeners, we all value the natural environment, and while our focus might be on plants, trees, lawns and flowers, it’s important not to forget that other creatures like our gardens too.

Squirrels, bees, blackbirds, sparrows and starlings are all common sights in most well-kept gardens but there are dozens, if not hundreds, of other visitors who we can enjoy – and help. Hedgehogs, field mice, frogs, toads and newts, lizards, slow worms and grass snakes as well as lesser spotted birds like tawny owls will all make use of our gardens if we create the right environment for them.

Not only is it important that we provide an environment for garden wildlife to help them survive and thrive, but they can also help us create a great place to revel in. Who doesn’t like the idea of nature’s cuddliest creatures keeping us company as we sit in the sun, relishing the fresh air and sunshine?

Why garden wildlife are a gardener’s friends

Anyone who has seen aphids and slugs destroy their lettuces will know that keeping pests under control can be a painful experience. But ladybirds love eating aphids, while birds and frogs feed on snails and slugs. Butterflies are beautiful and they pollinate your flowers. Hedgehogs eat beetles. Beetles eat snails. If you pay attention to your garden’s ecosystem you may never need to use a chemical again.

Making your garden safe for wildlife

An average British garden could be home to around 40 bird species and half a dozen types of mammal, if it is safe, has good food sources and somewhere to hide and sleep. It doesn’t mean leaving your garden to grow wild – much of this can be done with standard garden features.

What wildlife like about gardens

A garden pond or small water feature is a major draw for all sorts of creatures – frogs and toads lay eggs, birds and hedgehogs will bathe and drink, and you may even find dragonflies. Make sure it’s fed by rainwater, not chlorinated tapwater, and adding pond plants like frogbit and hornwort will provide shelter.

A carefully defined patch of untidiness is a boon to a garden. Log piles and compost heaps are great for spiders and insects, worms and woodlice and funguses. They make a great shelter for newts as well. Even stinging nettles can work – they attract nettle aphids which aren’t interested in other flowers. But ladybirds like the nettle aphids, which come out before other types of aphid, so if you have a small, contained nettle patch, you’ll have an army of ladybirds by the time your fruit and veg come out.

Hedges and shrubs are important habitats for garden wildlife, more so due to the destruction of hedgerows in recent decades. These make great nesting sites for birds and hedgehogs, as well as places to potentially hibernate in winter.

And bird boxes and climbing plants offer a place for birds to escape from cats and other predators

It’s good to help

By creating a safe haven for garden wildlife, you’ll be doing more than your fair share to care for the natural environment. If you’re in a big city, it’s likely that birds, insects and mammals will be relying on your garden to keep going. In smaller towns and villages, you can provide a place that is different and perhaps safer than the countryside. And you’ll be rewarded with some great garden companions too.