Spring Watch! Use Your Garden To Help Eco-diversity & Animal Welfare

If you’re anything like us, the clocks going forward and us stepping into Spring will be getting you thinking about your garden and planning to spend more time in your outside space as the warmer weather approaches. 

But trends around gardens are affecting some of the wildlife that typically visit gardens, and in many areas causing a decline.  However, even small changes can make a difference. Here are five easy ways to make your garden a haven for wildlife.

1.Let the grow. Let it grow. Let it grow

The growing trend for fake grass and over-manicured lawns is reducing the amount of all-important wildlife that visit gardens and help to create a balanced eco-system.  Instead of cutting the grass short, try paying it less attention and allowing it grow a little longer.  Not only do insects like worms like the longer vegetation (thus encouraging the visit by birds), but so too do others wildlife like hedgehogs.  Mowing the lawn only once every four weeks allows ‘short-grass’ plants such as daisies and clover a chance to flower, boosting nectar production tenfold. If your garden is big enough consider sectioning off an area that you allow to grow wild.

2. Plant selection is key

3. Where can’t you put plants?

Be creative with where and how you add plants to your garden. Sure, you can add plants to your patio areas, but could you create a tree canopy, a living plant wall or hanging basket from a wall or fence.  You could even think about ditching the fence altogether and replacing it with a hedge? The more plants the better to help tackle climate change too!

4. Introduce water into your garden

Everything needs water! Even the smallest area of water will help all manner of creatures to survive from squirrels and hedgehogs to birds.  Your water feature needn’t be a full-on wildlife pond.  Something as simple as a shallow pebble pool can make the world of difference.  Especially if it’s surrounded by plants.  

5. Caution with Robotic lawnmower

There is a growing trend for robotic lawnmowers which can offer an easy and efficient way of keeping your grass under control.  However, there has been an increase to the number of injured pets as a direct result, and wildlife such as hedgehogs These garden visitors help to keep them free of slugs and caterpillars which attack plants.  Hedgehogs are nocturnal so come out at night, which is the time many people choose to activate their mowers.

If you’re thinking about buying a robotic lawnmower, choose one that has increased safety features.  Recent research by Oxford University highlighted the vast differences  in safety levels between varying brands. If you have one and own pets, keep them out of the garden when it’s running. Also think about what time of day you set it to run .  Could you have it active during the day rather than at night perhaps?

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