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Welcome wildlife to your garden

Welcome wildlife to your garden

There are lots of ways in which you can help wildlife in your own garden, patio or even windowsill. Here are some useful links to get you inspired:

Feed the birds

Sit back and enjoy the stunning colours and intriguing behaviour of your local birds when you put some food out in your garden, on your balcony or windowsill.

Different birds like different food but the simplest way to entice birds is using a bird feeder with some mixed bird seed or nuts. The RSPB give lots of helpful hints on their website here.

Provide water

Wildlife are always on the hunt for water so why not provide some for them. A pond or small water feature is a great way to bring wildlife into your garden, but it doesn’t need to be that big. A small dish on a windowsill will be noticed by birds and very much appreciated during the hotter months.

With huge stresses on our water supplies be water wise, and cost effective, by capturing free rainwater in a bucket or water butt – this can then be used to water the garden or top or bird baths or ponds etc.

Make a bee B&B

Not all bees live in hives. Solitary bees aren’t as sociable and like to make their nests on their own, laying their eggs in tunnels such as dead wood. With bee species on the decline why not help those in your local area by providing them some 5* accommodation!

Full instructions and helpful photos for making this bee friendly home are here. With this design you’re not only supporting key pollinators, you are also saving another plastic bottle going into landfill. Definitely something to feel proud of and you don’t need a big garden to hang it in either.

Grow Food for Moths

With many species of UK moths declining why not help encourage some to your outdoor space by growing flowers that release their scent in the evening. The RSPB has some handy tips on how to do this and which species of plants are best for the different times of year. You’ll then be able to go on some night-time moth hunts to identify which ones have visited you.

Create a nature highway

Lots of animals like hedgehogs and frogs need to travel to find enough food but our fenced off gardens prevent them from doing so. Have a chat to your neighbours and see if they are happy to simply add a gap or two at the base of your wooden fences, big enough for a hedgehog to squeeze through – at least 8 x 6 cm and no more than 15 x 12 cm. An archway shaped hole is best for linking your gardens together. If you can let the grass or some herbaceous plants grow next to the gap this will help encourage them through.

These are just a few of the ways in which you can help support your local wildlife. We’d love to hear about any success stories you’ve had and see some photos of your visiting animals.

Tag us in your social media posts #southdowns.

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