Easy Ways to Make Your Garden a Wildlife Haven

Wildlife preservation has always been at the forefront of the One Horton Heath project, with nature preserving and enhancing features included across the development. Here are five ideas of how you can create a better environment for nature in your garden:

1. Animal nesting boxes

A wide range of nesting boxes are available for British gardens, not just for birds, but also for bats, hedgehogs and bugs. Nesting boxes come in various shapes and sizes depending on the species they are for. Not all bird boxes provide homes to all birds, so if you are hoping to attract a particular species, we recommend you purchase (or make) a specialised box.

Nesting boxes provide a safe space for animals to raise their young away from predators and a place for them to hibernate over the winter. If your nesting box is in a good location, birds will likely return year after year.

2. Hedgehog runs

Hedgehogs are not only cute but can also be a valuable addition to your garden, as they eat pests like slugs and snails, which could be damaging to your plants or vegetables. A ‘hedgehog run’ is an area where hedgehogs can move around without obstructions (e.g. buildings, walls or fences). This may require collaboration with your neighbours (or permission from your landlord) to consider how gaps or tunnels could be incorporated into your gardens so that hedgehogs can easily pass through.

Hedgehog boxes are also available. They provide a safe space for hedgehogs to sleep during the day and hibernate over winter.

3. Creating a bee and butterfly-friendly space

Butterflies and bees help to maintain biodiversity by pollinating plants, including many of our staple food crops. There is currently a campaign running across the UK to encourage more pollinators to your gardens. Due to this, most garden centres have a ‘bee-friendly’ label on their plants to show if a plant is suitable for attracting bees and/or butterflies. If you’re shopping for flowers, Google Lens is a helpful tool to identify if certain plants are attractive to pollinators.

Bee and butterfly boxes are also a great way to provide a space for these insects to hibernate away from predators. They can be discreetly installed on the exterior of your house, fence, or tree.

4. Wildlife pond

The fantastic thing about having a pond is that it can attract wildlife to your garden. You do not need a large ‘traditional’ pond with fish to attract frogs, dragonflies and birds, as a small body of water can entice them. Aside from being appealing to wildlife, ponds can also add an attractive ‘cottage’ look to your outdoor space, and when dressed up with flowers or a stone border, they can become a lovely feature of your garden.

5. Bug hotel

Your garden is already likely full of bugs, without you noticing. Bugs are a key aspect of the ecosystem, as those that do not pollinate flowers are a food source for larger animals, like frogs and birds. ‘Bug hotels’ are commonly installed in primary schools, providing an excellent opportunity for children to learn about the ecosystem and animal lifecycles.

They are easy to implement at home, as there are several different ways to set them up. The most common way to create one is to have a designated area in the garden where logs, branches and leaves can be piled up to create the perfect habitat. Don’t worry if you think that will make your garden look untidy, as there are also ‘bug houses’ available online which can be put up on an external wall or a tree/shrub. However you choose to do it, the idea is that plenty of gaps/holes are available for the bugs to get into, emulating their usual borrowing habits.

Do you fancy trying some of these out for yourself? We would love to see your pictures. Tag @eastbrookehomes on social media to show us your nature-friendly gardens.