Part of the charm of any garden is seeing a wide variety of wildlife. Many creatures will make your garden their home, from birds and butterflies to bees and hedgehogs. Of course some creatures are not as welcome as others – few gardeners are pleased to see snails, slugs and aphids, for example. But by attracting the right wildlife you can actually boost the health of your garden and even tackle the problem of unwanted pests.
Birds are great if you have problems with slugs and snails, as they eat these unwanted pests. It’s relatively easy to attract birds – all you need do is provide them with tempting food sources. Plant bushes with berries or put out bird seed to entice them. If you have children you can have lots of fun teaching them about different species of birds. You could even keep a log of all the different birds you spot in the garden.
Butterflies make a beautiful addition to any garden, and with so many colourful varieties, they are one of the world’s most popular insects. They are also important for maintaining the eco-system within your garden and for pollinating your plants. Many types of flowers attract butterflies, including buddleia, lavender, red valerian and sweet rocket.
Bees are essential for pollination but sadly are in decline. Experts aren’t sure exactly why bee populations are suffering but do agree that if bees were to become extinct it would be catastrophic as so much of the food we eat relies on pollination. Help protect bees by avoiding insecticides in your garden, and by planting bee-friendly plants such as comfrey, red clover and honeysuckle.
Ladybirds are the perfect answer when aphids attack your plants, as ladybird larvae eat them. Adult ladybirds are also great pollinators. Attract ladybirds by planting flowers that are rich in nectar – or buy a specially-designed ladybird house. You’ll find these available online or in garden centres.
If you want to attract a wide variety of wildlife into your garden, it’s best not to use any artificial insecticides or chemical products at all. This might mean you need to research natural ways of dealing with unwanted pests – for example, using beer to trap slugs rather than using slug pellets.