World Wildlife Day

This March why not embrace your wild side and let's open up your garden to all sorts of wildlife?

Living in Devon it is clear that we are blessed with an abundance of wildlife around us. Whether it’s the hedgehogs roaming around in the early hours of the morning or the many sea creatures that roam the waters around us.

Plymouth and the surrounding areas are one of the most biodiverse developed environments in the country and that is only possible because of all the effort that local people go to to ensure a happy home for our animal friends.

As it’s World Wildlife Day this month I’ve compiled some little things you can do in your garden to protect the local wildlife.

Having a hedgehog house

As winter fades and spring emerges, we are sure to see more colour and spark in our landscape so why not embrace that feeling and invite some new animals into your garden?

A hedgehog house can also provide shelter and a place to raise its young so don’t be surprised if you have more than a few visitors.

Hedgehogs can also help clean up your garden from garden pests such as slugs or snails so if you’re having a problem with some pesky holes in your garden veg then a hedgehog house might just be the perfect solution for you.

You might be asking how the hedgehogs are supposed to find their new little home well that’s where a wildlife corridor comes in.

This simple hedgehog highway can be made by simply making holes in your fences maybe to a field or just an open space, if you want to get really into your wildlife conservation you can ask your neighbours to join you and create a hedgehog superhighway by having holes that stretch from one of the of your road to the other.

Maybe you have already got a hole in your fence that you’ve been meaning to patch up and now all you need to do is leave it or possibly make it the right size for some friendly spiky neighbours to pop their heads through.

Birds and Butterflies

If you want to further increase the biodiversity of your little oasis you can buy or build a beautiful birdhouse.

Similar to hedgehogs a bird in the garden might not sound like the solution to your garden woes however, they are excellent pest control as well as great weed control and soil fertilization.

Not only is a birdhouse good for your garden but it may also be good for you; listening to birds chirping has been shown to decrease stress levels in people and it’s also a great way to show children a new perspective of nature and allow them to see up close why even in an urban environment animals such as birds are still so vital to the ecosystem.

So whether you’re trying to relax after a tiring week or you’re just trying to have someone else tidy up the garden for free then definitely consider putting up a homemade bird box.

There are not many flowers that will be bad for introducing some life into a garden, but some are better than others.

One of the most effective are Zinnia flowers, not only do they flower within just a few weeks, but they are also an absolute favourite of all sorts of bees and butterflies. You can directly sow these wonderfully colourful flowers at the start of spring as now is the perfect time.

Additionally, you could go all out and create a min-meadow in a corner of the garden this way you can embrace the spirit of spring even more by just putting a chair down and watching the butterflies go to work in your own little sanctuary.

The benefits of a water feature

If you find yourself feeling like your garden is still missing something, then one of the best things you can do is add a water feature.

This not only looks amazing but in a similar fashion to having a bird in the garden having a water feature can help create a calming environment, this can be perfect when you’ve had a stressful week at work or just in general.

If you’re worried about the water going stagnant then the good news is some pond plants can oxygenate the water so that way you will have a lovely water feature all year round and give the bees and butterflies some extra places to land.

If you already have many of the features discussed, then something you may not have thought of changing the fertilizers you use.

This can be as simple as swapping to a seaweed feed or even better your compost.

Something else you can do is regularly mulching the ground; digging over soil in the beds and boarders can destroy vital micro-organisms that help our gardens come to life.

Mulching the ground instead can help keep everything in balance and eliminate to addition of artificial fertilizers.

This balance is vital for keeping the local wildlife happy and creating a great habitat for the circle of life.

Let it Grow!

If you’re not sure about how to go about creating a great garden for some wild companions, then maybe the easiest option is to do nothing.

By this, I mean that letting a corner of your garden grow wild can be an excellent low-effort way to nurture the perfect environment for many wild animals.

Although it may look a bit messy at first a wild corner of a garden is something to be proud of.

If you have particularly green sleeves it might be hard to resist doing some TLC in this area but after a short while you will be able to marvel at your wonderfully wild corner and gaze into its freeing nature.

The best time to plant a tree in the garden was probably twenty years
ago but the second-best time is now.

A tree can foster many different animals from birds to squirrels to the occasional owl. Trees suck up plenty of carbon dioxide over the years and provide some natural hedging across the edges of your garden.

There is also nothing quite like sitting under a tree with a nice cold drink marvelling at the garden you have created over the years.

Why is World Wildlife Day important?

World Wildlife Day is an opportunity to take a step back and appreciate the amazing animals that surround us. Many of these animals play crucial roles within our area and we must give back to them, even in the smallest of ways.

I hope by reading this you’ve found some inspiration to let some wildlife into your garden this month.

Our local animals might not be as interesting as some other places across the world but it's important to appreciate the beauty of our area when it’s cared for.

Our wildlife is so important to our ecosystem and by making a few changes in your garden you can change it into a lush natural nursery for all sorts of wildlife. So, get out to the garden and embrace your wild side!