Ideas for helping wildlife make a home in your garden
> Give wildlife access through your garden. Leave small gaps in your fencing or hedge.
Or scoop a tunnel underneath.
> Hang a bird feeder in your garden and enjoy watching the species it attracts.
> Leave dead wood around, or bury it in the soil. It’s good for beetles and other beneficial insects, fungi and mosses.
> Allow ivy to grow – it’s a late source of autumn nectar for insects, late winter fruit for birds and provides good cover for hibernating bats.
> Put up a nesting box for birds, make a home for a hedgehog, a bat roost or an insect hotel.
> If you don’t have room for a pond in your garden, you could install a bird bath.
> Don’t bag all your leaves in autumn. Leave some piles under bushes and trees to make a home for hibernating hedgehogs and for insects to shelter.
> Let an area of lawn grow wild or seed an area with wild flowers to create an amazing summer display for bees.
> Don't use chemicals – try organic pest control measures.
> Minimise night time lighting which disrupts wildlife - reduce light spill into the natural environment and turn lights off at night.
> Leave out a bowl of water and some cat food to support visiting hedgehogs. Don't give them milk. It's bad for them.
> Always check for wildlife before using a strimmer or lighting a bonfire.