For most people, a garden is something that bridges the gap between the home and the great outdoors. Whilst it might not be a forest teeming with deer and other large creatures, even a simple garden can have all manner of wildlife living within it – adding character to your outdoor space as a result.
To help with this, here are a few things to consider when creating a wildlife-friendly space in your garden. Whether it’s using the right materials, having enough plants or finding ways to attract wildlife in the first place, there is always something you can do to make your garden an ideal stopping point for local wildlife.
Natural aesthetics
You’ll want to create a usable, practical garden that encourages wildlife to visit but embracing the natural world doesn’t mean leaving your garden to fend for itself. Vast expanses of overgrown foliage aren’t always right and you need to use the right natural materials to blend in with your garden design without causing harm to the wildlife.
Wooden garden benches or tables and chairs made from metals are much better than plastic, both in terms of their appearance and their natural beauty. Wood is a natural material which doesn’t disturb the garden and only requires a little treatment and maintenance to keep it in top condition.
Foliage and fauna
To further attract animals and wildlife, some flowers and plants are essential. These provide shade, occasional food and, for bees, pollen and nectar. Wild flowers look great in wildlife inspired gardens but you’re free to choose whatever is best for your garden.
Planting them in the ground is arguably best for worms and other underground creatures but raised flower beds, trays and pots will still help keep birds and bees happy whilst allowing more creativity and aesthetic design within the garden. Combining these options with small patches of wild flowers can look really stunning.
Encouraging wildlife
After you’ve designed your garden you need to encourage wildlife to visit. Anything you have in your garden should be wildlife friendly and that means plenty of plants and even specialist attractions like bird baths or feeding tables.
Garden experts such as www.gardensandhomesdirect.co.uk have a wide range of such wildlife attractions, from peanut feeders to actual bird nests. These can fit in seamlessly with your garden design whilst encouraging animals to visit.
It’s important to consider other guests too, especially those which you can’t always see! Worms are easily pleased by compost whilst there are various products designed to attract certain insects, such as lacewings. These are good for your garden as they are a natural predator which keep pest numbers down.
At the very least, encouraging insects will get the local food chain started; insects are very easy to please but provide substance for much of the wildlife found in gardens. You can always identify a nutrient-rich, fertile lawn by the birds looking for worms in the morning so the soil really is the perfect starting point for a wildlife-friendly garden.
