My Beliefs: Gardening for Wildlife

I believe that private gardens and public spaces should be havens for wildlife, as well as being pleasant for humans, with imperfect lawns containing patches of long grass and wildflowers, weeds in the borders and between the cracks in the patio. So many gardens are sterile and clean, perhaps for convenience; I understand this - people are busy and don't want their kids or pets getting muddy and making a mess, don't necessarily have the skills to maintain a garden or think that these skills are not for them or something they could not learn. I realise that this is a gross generalisation, but one that I experience often with friends and colleagues.

I decided to investigate what wildlife and plants I actually had in my small town garden (c. 85m2), and to then research ways in which I could improve the habitats therein to encourage more wildlife of all shapes and sizes, and to provide a wider range of plants. So far I have noted nearly 140 flowering plants as well as trees and shrubs that have not yet flowered. I have identified about 50 species of wildlife ranging from birds, frogs, toads and slow-worms to several species of spiders, bees, flies, slugs, snails and many other invertebrates.

I have attended lectures online and in person about ‘Insect Apocalypse’, ‘Getting Creative with Rainwater’, and improving soil health. I have read articles and books about making gardens more wildlife friendly, and am actively looking at improving my planting, installing piles of wood for bug and beetle habitat as well as considering putting in bird boxes and more bug hotels. After a trip to Winchester I installed a bird feeder and have seen bird activity increase in the garden.

Sharing my project has been a challenge, but I decided to tell my tutor group at school, and share pictures with them of wildlife I had found, and encouraged them to share their pictures. Their favourite part was a short video of the wiggling detached tail of a slow-worm! They were reluctant to share pictures but some were keen to tell me about wildlife they had spotted. We also set up a nature box that contained conkers, feathers, sea shells, the shed skin of a slow-worm, and a mermaid’s purse among other things. This did prompt discussions! We have also started following the Peregrine Falcons on Winchester Cathedral as they lay eggs and raise chicks. I occasionally help with the Agriculture Club at school, recently featured on BBC Countryfile, and have shared my experience and love of gardening and wildlife while helping with weeding. As part of the project I also took part in several citizen science projects, including Fat Spider Fortnight, the RSPBs big garden birdwatch and the Butterfly Count.

The garden is evolving slowly and this will be a long-term project, where I will continue to add plants and make improvements to habitat areas. I now have more concrete ideas of what I want to achieve to maximise the wildlife potential of the garden, and how I will achieve it.

Longer grass, 'No Dig' vegetable patch for soil improvement, weed suppression on paths with newspaper and bark chips, beetle 'hedge' of sticks.

Wildflowers: Crocus, snowdrops, daisy, celandine, lungwort.

Some of the garden wildlife - most of it is too fast to capture!