1. Why should I want a wildlife garden?
The simple answer is because wildlife gardens are more interesting and vibrant. The birds, bees and butterflies it attracts make the garden come alive. A wildlife garden changes with the season. It is also of increasing importance that we all try and provide a place for these creatures. With global warming, urbanisation and changing land use, many species are now threatened and their numbers are declining at a rapid rate. Food sources and appropriate habitats are becoming scarcer. We can all help to prevent what could become an environmental Armageddon. return to top
2. Won’t a wildlife garden look untidy?
It is not advisable to keep a wildlife garden too tidy. A wildlife garden that is well designed, while not by necessity well-manicured or over tidy, will not resemble a neglected, unkempt mess. Rather it will be an attractive, restful sanctuary of a wide variety of plants with a high wildlife value that is both beautiful and charming. If preferred, an area need not be created into a specific wildlife garden. Wildlife attracting plants can be incorporated into existing borders and extra features to provide water and shelter can be easily added to encourage additional wildlife into an established, well loved garden. return to top
3. What sort of plants attract wildlife?
Native plants are the best kind to attract wildlife. This is because they are the ones best suited to your local habitat. They are also the type of plants that have co-evolved with the creatures you will wish to attract and therefore will have a long and well established relationship. Using native plants ensures that all the requirements for food, nesting, shelter, protection and over-wintering will be met or optimised. However, you do not have to restrict your garden to native species: naturalised or heirloom species also have some wildlife value. Butterflies love Buddleia and Michaelmas daisies, Bees Hellebores and Hollyhocks. Garden varieties can range from being useful to absolutely hopeless in attracting wildlife. return to top
4. What is a native plant?
The Natural History Museum defines a British native plant as those that were present before the formation of the English Channel. Native plants are the “backbone” of local ecology; they are adapted to local soils and climate and form the character of the local countryside. return to top
5. My preference is for colourful garden plants and bright annual bedding displays. Must I only use native plants in a wildlife garden?
Growing native plants will encourage a larger number of insects, bees, birds and butterflies to feed on pollen and nectar, which has specifically evolved for their requirements. This will also have the added bonus of safeguarding native species of disappearing flora.
Modern varieties that have been highly bred or specialised such as unusually coloured or double-flowered plants, or those that have lost their fragrance through intense hybridisation have little wildlife value, being sterile or low in nectar. However, it is still possible to introduce some non-native plants which are attractive to wildlife. These plants known as heirloom plants, will be the original well-known and loved traditional varieties that have been passed down, including many cottage garden favourites. Choosing a large variety of massed simple flowers, it is possible to create a colourful eye-catching display and also ensure the requirements of your garden visitors are met. return to top
6. Will native plants give me all year colour / display?
If the colour and display you are thinking of for your garden is the technicolour of cultivated Dahlias or the never evergreen of a Lawson Cypress the answer is probably no. But if you can appreciate the subtle colours and variety of form and textures of traditional plants and native species, wildlife gardens are for you. The changing display of flowers, seed heads, berries, autumnal leaves and winter stems provide something to delight the eye all year round. return to top
7. Can I use only a part of my garden for wildlife?
Yes you can. If you are short of space or have a well-loved established garden you wish to preserve, planting a few additional wildlife friendly plants will help. Yet when thinking about attracting wildlife, remember most creatures will require a place to live, breed, feed, and find shelter and the more space you can devote to these needs the better. return to top
8. My garden is tiny. What can I do to make it more wildlife friendly?
Size does not matter in creating a welcoming area for wildlife. If possible a woodland area, wildflower meadow and pond can be adapted to suit a small garden. If there is insufficient room, one or two of these features can be incorporated. Most importantly it should include a source of water, if only a bird bath, wildlife attracting plants of different species which flower over several seasons and cover such as an ivy covered wall for nesting or hibernating. return to top
9. Will creating a wildlife garden cost me more?
There may be an increase in the short term through choosing wildlife friendly plants from a good “low carbon cost” sustainable source, although this will be offset by savings made from avoiding those pricey “designer plants”. The long term saving is that you will have plants better suited to their location and better able to thrive and survive and the cost to the planet will be much lower too. return to top
10. I would like a low maintenance garden.
There is a lot of propaganda around low-maintenance gardening, particularly from those who are trying to sell them. Firstly there is no such thing as a garden that requires no maintenance; all gardens have to be looked after. Even hard landscaping which is used to minimise labour will need regular upkeep. You do not have to resort to lawn and decking to keep maintenance low. Many aspects of wildlife gardens; meadow, pond, herbaceous borders only require occasional routine work to keep them in order, as long as they are properly designed and constructed. return to top
11. Will wildlife gardens attract pests and diseases?
Natural gardens will attract a whole variety of wildlife, some more welcome than others which you may regard as pests. With every lovely butterfly a plant hungry caterpillar may not be far away. You should be prepared to allow some of your garden to become home to some of these creatures. However, you will find nature will balance herself out and prove a better solution to pests and diseases than the most sophisticated of chemicals. Like ladybirds which are a much prettier way of removing aphids than harmful insecticide sprays. return to top
12. How safe is a wildlife pond?
There are always risks in a garden and particularly if you have a water feature. As in life, there is no such thing as a risk free environment. However, a pond like a garden can be designed to minimise risk. One important feature is to give your pond a shelf, or a series of steps, so that the careless or distracted will get a wet foot rather than a wet head. Also it can be a good idea to restrict access to the deepest section by creating a bank or planting a thick screen of shrubs. Our pond page will tell you more... return to top
13. I am not a David Attenborough or an expert/ enthusiastic gardener. Will my garden become a burden?
Given the right conditions, a wide range of creatures will soon appear, providing an endless source of fascination and amusement. You will also be supporting the conservation of native plants and creatures that have been diminished by modern agriculture and urbanisation. With a few timely interventions to keep it tidy, a wildlife garden will be less labour intensive than a conventional one. return to top
