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Every garden, whatever the style or the
size, can provide a haven for native wildlife. Combined with
other gardens in the area, it can supplement the shrinking
countryside. Hundreds of tiny habitats provide a home for
some birds and animals and attract others that drop in for
food and shelter. The garden doesn’t have to look like
a wilderness – a few steps in the right direction will
make all the difference.
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Song thrush
Peter Gasson |
Try to resist the urge to clear everything away when plants
begin to die back during the autumn months. Whenever possible,
leave pruning and clearing until late spring.
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allow plants to set seed, so that they provide food for
birds
•leave some dead leaves at the back of borders, as
thrushes and other birds like to turn them over looking for
beetles, snails and grubs
•old logs and dead wood provide over-wintering sites
for mammals, frogs, toads and invertebrates – all of
which devour pests
•rotting tree stumps and crumbling branches provide
habitats for spiders and insect predators such as wasps, ladybirds
and stag beetles, as well as for bats, birds and mammals.
If they are unsightly they can be disguised by attractive
climbing plants
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