We all want to do whatever we can to help the Earth, so why not make your garden a haven for wildlife!
Have a No Mow Area
Most people enjoy a well maintained lawn all year round. We like the neighbours to know we take care of our property and have things looking well. But we can have areas of our garden that don't have to be just as well maintained. If fact, it can be quite stylish to have a border around the lawn, particularly in the back of a home, that is not mown and is flourishing with different species.
Grow Wildflowers
Wildflowers in a unmown border around a lawn.
In recent years the public has become more and more aware of the problems of low bee populations. Bees are extremely important to pollinate many species but they need flowers to feed on. Even if you have a small garden or even some decent sized window boxes can be used to plant wild flowers. Some companies even produce a special wildflower seed mix to help bees and pollinators. This is wonderful as it helps to increase the biodiversity of an area and will really help boost the numbers and health of bees. We can all do more to help the planet in our own small way, and this is a great one!
Consider Hedges
Hedges can be a lot of work, trimming them a few times a year, disposing of the cuttings etc. But unkempt hedges can be a great source of food for local animals. Hedges can have their own little micro-ecosystem with a wide variety of insects, birds and small mammals. Letting them grow a little can be a great boost to the local wildlife. Different species also use hedges to travel from one area to another and it can be important to provide gaps so they can move about freely. Although, your neighbours might not think that is such a great idea!
Display a Bird Feeder
Ever since humans started using harsh chemicals to kill weeds and insects on farms the numbers of wild birds has fallen. Those chemicals got into the birds food supply and caused a drastic drop in their populations. Since then regulations about the use of chemicals has helped bird populations recover but we can all do a bit more to help. Putting out bird feeders can really help birds, especially through the lean winter months. They do prefer the slightly more expensive feed, so keep that in mind if you want our feathered friends to stick around.
Create a Sanctuary
The wildlife in your local area needs shelter just as much as any creature (including us!) and providing somewhere for them to chill out obviously helps them get through their day. So providing a bird box or some wooden boxes at ground level for small mammals and insects to live is a great way to increase the biodiversity of your local area. A compost heap will do the same job and can provide food and shelter for frogs, toads and birds.
There really are lots of ways we can all help keep our local environments healthy and diverse and we can all do a little more and create something beautiful for us all to enjoy.
