Create a Nature-Friendly Garden
Simple, achievable actions to transform your outdoor space into a thriving wildlife habitat—no matter its size.
Quick Wins for Wildlife
Start with these simple actions that make an immediate difference for local wildlife.
Add a Water Source
A shallow dish of water helps birds, bees, and hedgehogs—especially in summer.
Let an Area Grow Wild
Leave a corner unmown to provide shelter and food for insects and small mammals.
Plant for Pollinators
Choose nectar-rich flowers like lavender, buddleia, and native wildflowers.
Create a Bug Hotel
Stack logs, bamboo canes, and leaves to provide shelter for beneficial insects.
Put Up a Bird Box
Provide nesting sites for garden birds—different species prefer different box types.
Grow Native Plants
Native species support more wildlife than non-native alternatives.
Seasonal Gardening Guide
Plant native wildflowers like primrose, bluebell, and cowslip for early pollinators
Clean and position bird boxes before nesting season (by mid-March)
Create a pond or add a water feature—spring is ideal for amphibian breeding
Leave some areas to grow wild—don't tidy too early, insects overwinter in stems
Sow nectar-rich annuals like cornflower, poppy, and phacelia for summer blooms
Build or install a bee hotel in a sunny, sheltered spot facing south or southeast
Check hedgehog highways (13cm gaps in fences) are clear and accessible
Leave nettles in a corner—they're essential for butterfly caterpillars
Start feeding birds less as natural food becomes available, but keep water topped up
Plant hawthorn, blackthorn, or dog rose hedging for year-round wildlife value
Going Chemical-Free
Pesticides and herbicides can harm the wildlife we're trying to help. Here are natural alternatives:
Instead of Pesticides
- • Encourage natural predators like ladybirds and birds
- • Use companion planting to deter pests
- • Remove pests by hand when possible
- • Accept some imperfection—it's natural!
Instead of Herbicides
- • Hand-weed or use a hoe
- • Mulch to suppress weeds
- • Embrace "weeds" like dandelions—they're pollinator food
- • Use boiling water on paths and patios