How to care for the wildlife in your garden
Discover the magic of wildlife in your garden! We join David Domoney as he shares tips to create a haven for birds, bees, frogs and hedgehogs. Encouraging wildlife to thrive is so important this time of year, and David will be giving you all the great advice you need.
Why is it important to look after the wildlife in our gardens?
This time of year we are starting to see more animals out and about in our gardens, and green areas. Also with the added extremes of weather, one minute it is hot and the next it is cold.
These weather conditions can be confusing for wildlife in our gardens and we need to make sure we are protecting them and helping them thrive this time of year. By looking after the wildlife in our gardens, we participate in the larger conservation efforts and contribute to the sustainability and health of the planet.
Birds
Provide food: set up bird feeders and offer a variety of bird-friendly foods such as seeds, nuts, suet, and nectar.
Bird boxes: this offers shelter and protection for birds.
Create water sources: birds need water for drinking and bathing. Install a birdbath or a shallow dish with clean water in your garden.
Bees & bugs
Plant bee-friendly flowers: select a variety of flowers that provide nectar and pollen throughout the growing season.
Provide a water source: bees need water to drink and cool their hives. Place shallow dishes or bowls with fresh water in your garden, ensuring that there are small stones or floating objects to provide perches for the bees.
Bee and ladybird houses: you can make houses and areas for the bugs in your garden out of wood and pine cones found in a woodland walk.
Toads & frogs
Create a water feature: install a pond or a small water feature in your garden to provide frogs with a habitat for breeding and shelter.
Provide hiding places: incorporate vegetation, rocks, logs, and other structures in and around your garden to create hiding places and shelter for frogs.
Hedgehogs
Provide food and water: leave out shallow dishes of fresh water for hedgehogs to drink from and bathe in. Additionally, you can leave out hedgehog-friendly food, such as wet cat or dog food
Make a hedgehog house: you can even make a hedgehog house in your garden to give them safe space to sleep.