Wildlife gardening

The principles of wildlife gardening can be useful in churchyard care, but congregation members may wish to use them in their own gardens.

Obviously gardening can help wild plants and animals. Just take birds like sparrow, starling and song thrush that have declined by over 50% in 25 years. Research has shown that over 50% of the UK house sparrow and starling populations are associated with gardens and over 25% of the UK song thrush population. Not only can gardens provide a refuge, but also they now have a key role to play in addressing the decline which is due mostly to the drive towards intensive agriculture in recent decades.

Gardening can also help us as evidence is growing, as if it were needed, of the benefits to our health and well-being from seeing wildlife in our gardens. Many of our wild birds, animals and insects will help defend our garden plants from pests.

Bright ideas to help wildlife in your garden

It’s a myth that wildlife gardening is difficult, or that it leads to creating untidy jungles – the key is planning, and striving to provide year round interest for as many different species as possible.

• Feed the birds: It is now thought a good idea to feed birds throughout the year. Make or buy a bird table or feeder and place it away from cats if you can. Stock it with wild bird food, nuts and fresh water especially when the temperature dips below freezing.
• Provide nest boxes for birds & bats: Nest boxes have different size holes for different species.
• Provide a pond: If you have the space, a pond can be a wonderful asset for wildlife. Remember, gently sloping sides so animals can climb out, rocks or logs nearby for shelter and no fish to eat the frogspawn.
• Grow plants for butterflies: Go for a range of nectar plants that will cover the whole summer long. Consider food plants for caterpillars, eg nettles in full sun for red admiral and small tortoiseshell butterflies.
• Make a deadwood habitat: A pile of deadwood placed somewhere in the corner of your garden will provide a valuable habitat for many insects. Once established, leave well alone to give the wood the chance to rot and insects the opportunity to mature.
• Grow some wild flowers: Plant wild flowers or other good nectar-rich plants in your borders. Marigold, forget-me-not, sweet william, petunia are all good for wildlife. Always choose British-grown seed, preferably from nearby (see suggestions at www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/life/plants-fungi/postcode-plants/ and www.floralocale.org)
• Don’t be too tidy...: Leave tidying up the dead seed heads of flowering plants until the Spring-birds like goldfinches love the seeds. Log-piles are loved by lots of mini-beasts; put them in both sun and shade.
• Build a compost heap: This not only helps with waste disposal problems, but is a good habitat for hedgehogs, slowworms and such like that will help eat those slugs you just love.
• Grow climbers: They will help provide homes between the leaves and the wall, and many offer food as well, especially ivy.
• Go organic: www.gardenorganic.org.uk

What to avoid to help wildlife and the wider environment

However, gardening can also be harmful to wildlife. Again, one example is that around £35 million is spent each year by gardeners on chemicals. So work with nature rather than against it whenever you can.

• Be careful with Slug Pellets: Some types of chemical pellet (and the slugs that have eaten them) can kill frogs, newts, birds and hedgehogs. There are alternatives.
• Help your Hedgehogs: Hedgehogs hibernate in dark, dry places like underneath garden sheds. They sometimes choose bonfire piles, so check carefully before lighting. You can make or buy artificial nestboxes for hibernation and rearing young
• Take care with chemicals: Spray as little as possible, and be selective -only spray where you see real evidence of damage and leave the application until the evening to avoid killing bees and other useful insects.
• Don’t use peat: Very sadly the last remnants of our fascinating peat bogs are being mined and 60% of the peat is bought by gardeners. Protect our precious bogs and use alternatives, including your own compost.
• Use water wisely: Collect water in a butt and use your washing water. Mulch the soil and go for plants that can cope with dry conditions. Never use a sprinkler – the lawn will survive better when there is a hosepipe ban.
• Don’t spread invasive plants: pond plants are particularly troublesome, but never throw out any of your plants into the wild, and don’t give problem plants to your friends and neighbours.
• Don’t deplete the tropical rain forest: Make sure all your wooden garden furniture comes with the Forest Stewardship Council’s certification. Use locally-sourced charcoal for barbeques, not from abroad. And do you really need to send all that heat and carbon into the sky with a patio heater?

Key sources of advice

Books: “How to make a Wildlife Garden” by Christ Baines, 2000, £14.99
“No Nettles Required” by Ken Thompson, 2006, Eden Books, £10
CD: “Gardening with Wildlife in Mind” from English Nature, telephone their helpline 01733 455100 (they also can supply several helpful leaflets)
Websites (among many others):
Natural England: www.english-nature.org.uk/Nature_In_The_Garden
Two BBC sites: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/wildbritain/gardenwildlife/
and www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/techniques/organic_wildgardens.shtml
Joint Wildlife Trusts and Royal Horticultural Society site: www.wildaboutgardens.org
Jenny Steel has written some useful leaflets: www.wildlife-gardening.co.uk