Wildlife gardening

A Nature UK article by Sam Dixon, 25 May 2010

Title photo © Fran Kent

There are plenty of ways to make your garden wildlife friendly but by far the most beneficial for wildlife in your garden is actually the simplest of all... doing nothing.

By letting your garden grow without interfering, you will give insect-friendly weeds the chance to flourish, and grasses the chance to go to seed providing birds and small mammals with food for themselves and their young.

Gardening for insects

Butterflies such as this orange tip love nettles. Photo © Rachel Mower

Making an insect haven will attract birds, mammals, amphibians and even reptiles. For most gardens, achieving this will set the foundations for many more exciting wildlife visitors. Many insects are also brilliant at giving back to your garden as they will pollinate your plants.

• Butterflies feed on nectar from flowers but come springtime many species will also only lay their eggs on specific plants. Nettles, cock's foot, common rock rose, common dog violet and common birdsfoot trefoil are perfect species for a variety of butterflies.
• A simple sugar solution on an attractive butterfly feeder will be inviting to butterflies, bees and moths alike. Download the Make a butterfly feeder poster from BBC Breathing Places for simple instructions.
• Hoverflies are fantastic pollinators and love daisies and marigolds.
• Bees are well known for being some of the most important garden pollinators of all. They need flowers with open heads allowing them easy access to the nectar. Clover, buddleia, lavender and honeysuckle are great for bees and look lovely too.


Bug boxes attract all kinds of visitors. Photo © Tracy Vibert

• Follow a simple step by step guide to Making a Bee Box with Nick Baker (Video).
• Moths are really vital prey for many bird and mammal species, and fortunately they aren't too picky. They'll also be drawn to buddleia but also like heather, sallow and ivy. You can also attract them using a wine rope (see the Discover the dark side pocket guide for more information.)
• You can buy or make your own bug home to provide bees and other insects with places to