It's easy to do simple things to help your garden wildlife. Giving simple advice as to what those things should be, isn’t so easy.
The reason is that everyone’s situation is so different. Your garden might be a small decked area in the centre of a city, or a vast sweeping vista of beautiful lawns and exotic trees overlooking the sea. You might have a pond or a patio, even a pergola. There really isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to making your outdoor area suitable for all the insects, birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles that might want to use it. But there are some general things that we can all do and adapt to whatever situation we’re in.
So here are my top five basic gardening tips for wildlife:
1 Go organic
Practicing organic gardening makes good sense for wildlife, whatever your situation. There are plenty of ways to improve your soil or add extra oomph to containers, without resorting to chemical fertilisers, and lots of ways to tackle pests without reaching for something toxic. In a well-balanced garden, wildlife will help you fight back against the slugs and aphids, and even on a balcony, there are alternatives to chemicals.
Peat bogs are fabulous homes for nature
2 Be peat-free
Peat belongs in the ground, not in our gardens. In its proper place (ie a peat bog) it creates a fabulous habitat for all sorts of wildlife, including carnivorous plants, lizards, and threatened birds, like hen harriers. It also stores carbon, can help alleviate flooding, and makes a wonderful place to visit and enjoy. You can grow plants without peat, and peat-free alternatives are available and work really well, so try to use them whenever possible.
3 Encourage pollinators
Some of the greatest wildlife losses in recent years have been amongst our pollinating insects (bees, butterflies, hoverflies etc). Providing flowers for them not only supports a wider population, but can also help the fruiting plants in your own garden. Flowers in containers work well, and look great even in tiny areas. In larger gardens, you might consider planting some wildflowers, or growing some fruit trees for early blossom. Try to have things blooming for most of the year, and you could also put up a bug box for things like hibernating butterflies and ladybirds.
Consider planting some wildflowers
4 Water
In Scotland, it rains a lot. But that doesn’t mean we should be careless with water in the garden! Try to avoid sprinklers, and watering in the middle of a hot day is pointless, as so much will evaporate. Evening is best. Use mulches to retain water, and try not to have large expanses of bare soil. Water can also be good for wildlife and putting out even a simple container for bathing and drinking will be appreciated by everything from bees to hedgehogs. But remember to clean it out and top it up regularly.
5 Respond locally
If you want to help your local wildlife, then why not do some investigating into what needs help in your area. You might find that you’re on a migration route for butterflies, or that your local house sparrows could do with a hand. You may even find that you could install something like a barn owl box, or do some work to encourage water voles!
Whatever you choose to do in your garden, even small changes can make a big difference for wildlife, so it’s definitely worthwhile.
For more tips, you can request a free Giving Nature a Home guide from our website http://homes.rspb.org.uk/
Peat bog by Eleanor Bentall (rspb-images.com), bee on cornflower by Jenny Tweedie