Homes for wildlife come in all matter of shapes and sizes from garden ponds, bug houses, nest boxes, wood piles and flower beds.
However, it is also worth creating some nooks and crannies, some safe places for ground dwellers to hide away.
Frogs, Toads, Slow-worms, Snails, Slugs, Spiders, Woodlice and Centipedes all need somewhere to get out of sight – some during the day and some at night.
Temporarily disturbed roosting Lemon Slugs
Making them could not be easier so here at some ideas.
Idea #1: Take three or four bricks and place two on the ground amongst your flowers or soil and lay one or two on the top et voila! One wildlife refuge! you could also do this with pieces of flat timber.
Woodlice under one of my old wood versions - the pinky orange one has just shed its skin and is still soft. This is what the ferocious Woodlouse Spider hunts!
A true mini-beast predator
Idea #2: Remember those empty baked bean and soup tins? Well, clean them out as before and place on their side where ever you fancy. Push a little soil or some leaves inside and Bob’s your Uncle!
Idea #3: And last but not least... if you have any broken terracotta pots then do not throw them away but once again, place them on the ground or wedge them in a gap. There will be creatures in side before you know it. Oh and you could also do this a plastic flower pot but because it is so light weight you will have to weigh it down with some soil or stones.
The humble Garden Snail out at night in my garden - not the most loved of species but he needs a home too
Have fun...