If you’re lucky enough to have a reasonably sized outdoor space to call your own, then you may as well encourage local wildlife to share it. Creating a habitat for wildlife means endangered species and vulnerable animals will have a better chance of survival, so you can do your bit for the environment whilst enjoying observing the creatures and critters that your garden has attracted.
Bird House and Feeder
Having a feeder will attract local birds who are finding it difficult to find food in the winter, and fitting a birdhouse will give new born chicks somewhere safe to live whilst they grow up. They’ll be protected from harm whilst they wait for their mother to return with food, so you can rest assured that you’re helping out the bird population in your area. Installing a bird house camera is a great way to keep an eye on them, and kids will love watching the chicks feed and develop into adults. Bird boxes are relatively inexpensive, and you can even get hold of bird house cameras for as little as £40.
Bring Your Pond to Life
Filling your pond with plants will provide the perfect environment for all kinds of pond life, from insects to fish. Building a small rock pile next to your pond will give somewhere for frogs to shelter in between dips into the water. In the winter, floating a light rubber ball on the surface of the water will help prevent it icing over, meaning any fish you have in there will always have enough oxygen. Everything you need for your pond can be bought online on websites like All Pond Solutions, so it’s no hassle at all to encourage wildlife to spend more time in your garden.
Plants and Shrubbery
Plants and thick shrubbery not only make your garden look pretty, but they provide shelter for small animals like hedgehogs. Giving them somewhere to hide from predators and stay out of cold winds is a great way to help the population of small animals in your local area. You never know, you might just have some regular visitors that it’ll be fun to keep an eye on and see develop.
Avoid Hazards
If you want to maintain a wildlife-friendly garden, then it’s crucial that you avoid using pesticides and chemicals. Most creatures visiting your garden will actually contribute positively to its eco-system, so it’s actually detrimental to kill off your visitors. Another danger to small creatures, especially hedgehogs, is the netting on goal posts, so make sure you remove it.
Let it Overgrow
If you’re really keen on attracting wildlife to your garden, the best thing you can do after implementing the above steps is to let your garden overgrow. For those who like to keep things neat and tidy, this won’t be for you, but for anybody who’s a real nature enthusiast, the best way to attract all kinds of species of animal is to let your grass and plants grow naturally. Everything from field mice to grass snakes could find a new home in your wildlife-friendly garden.
Find out more about how to keep a wildlife friendly garden.