Bird feeders are great garden wildlife ideas as a way to encourage birds into your garden, and they also provide them with vital support over winter when food is scarce. Water is essential to all life and garden pond ideas attract a wide variety of insects and animals, and are valuable habitats for a multitude of aquatic species, so are wonderful wildlife garden ideas. The bigger the diversity of flowering plants the greater the number of insects will benefit and the more birds will come in to eat them,' explains garden designer Cheryl Cummings. With some thoughtful planning you could soon find your garden teaming with insects, birds, small mammals and more.

All wildlife needs a place to shelter and one of the best wildlife garden ideas is to provide safe spaces where they can hide, nest and overwinter. This can range from simply leaving a pile of logs in a quiet corner or the garden to building your own bespoke bee house While a pond will provide a source of water it's best to add less overwhelming source of water, for the insects and small mammals that can't swim – so may be fearful of a pond. For an inviting place to stay hydrated add a birdbath to your garden. I think for what I want to do the book was useful for thinking about the various places in my yard that I want to plant out and what that might look like with broad strokes without using lawn or flower beds that need to be replanted every season. The lists of plants were more or less useful. I found a couple plants I would like to use and I think he makes a good case for using non-natives if they are going to accomplish what you want and work with your climate. That's also the rub though, the plants he lists work well for the English countryside, but many of them won't work where I live (too hot or not cold enough, too dry).A few simple changes in the way you manage your garden can help provide habitats to support a rich variety of species. Jupiter Urban Wildlife Garden is one of Scotland's finest examples of the reclamation of disused industrial land for wildlife and people. This urban nature oasis is right in the middle of industrial Grangemouth and is a haven for birds, butterflies and wildflowers. The Centre offers a fantastic place to explore and relax – with the opportunity to walk, picnic or even use of the BBQ. Nature’s prize pollinators will make an, um, beeline for your garden if you plant a pretty mix of flowers – think alliums, lavender and catmint – and cultivate a fragrant herb garden with rosemary, sage, mint and chives.

By creating a delicate balance between bugs, pests and their predators, you can improve the health and vitality of your garden, too. Birds, butterflies and bees are pretty to look at and help improve your garden’s production. Encouraging hedgehogs, bats and frogs is an ideal solution for pest control, reducing the need for pesticides. Diversity is one of the key things to consider in a successful wildlife garden. Plant a range of flowers, trees, climbers and shrubs that bloom at different times, and ensure you include plenty of evergreen plants for cover.Dig a pond: However small your patch, there is always room for a pond. Even a small sink or tub pond, with a few aquatic plants, can make a great wildlife habitat. Ponds of all shapes and sizes benefit different communities of wildlife – water-loving insects dive beneath the surface, birds prey on amphibians, and small mammals come to drink.

Colin left Dublin when he was about 20 and lived in the UK, and then overseas for years, travelling around the world for his work. Provide shelter: Start by providing shelter, resting and nesting areas with a couple of silver birches and/or a selection of native shrubs, like holly or guelder rose. This will add height to your landscape and also provide much-needed shade for you in summer.

The lawn has been allowed to grow as a wildflower meadow with mown paths through the sward, a venerable pollarded weeping willow shading its centre. A laid hedge of elm and hawthorn boundaries the lane while to the rear of the farmhouse is the orchard which leads onto Lugg Meadow – an historic Lammas meadow. The garden is managed with wildlife in mind not only through the planting but with log piles, a large compost heap, bee houses and the sensitive hands of the wonderful volunteer gardeners. London Wildlife Trust There is the option to use wildflower seeds, plug plants or wildflower turf. You could also learn how to make wildflower seed bombs. This classic favorite among cottage garden plants has pretty blue-green foliage covered in masses of fragrant lilac blooms from June to August. Ladybugs eat two things: insect pests and pollen, and there are several pollen plants that ladybugs like, including:'