Revamping Your Garden Into a Wildlife Haven
If the time has come to revamp your garden, you have undoubtedly thought long and hard about what your main aims are. Do you long to revel in the peace and tranquility during the hot summer months while sipping a glass of wine? Perhaps you would rather watch the insects and animals visit. If the latter appeals to you, continue reading for our advice on how you can attract wildlife into your garden.
Bees
Flowers provide the pollen and nectar imperative for the survival of bees and thus, the entire human race. Although swarms of bees can easily send your heart racing, that is not always through fright. In fact, the thought of attracting a wealth of honeybees to your outside space is an exciting one. Choosing the right flowers is essential if this is one of your aims.
It is important to know that different types of bees will be around at different times of the year, so having plants to attract them for as much of the year as possible is a consideration. Single flowers where the center is visible are best; with double flowers, accessing the pollen and nectar can be tricky, therefore off-putting. Purple flowers, such as lavender, are thought to be seen by bees more easily than other colors. Finally, tubular flowers like honeysuckle are perfect for long-tongues bees. For more on creating a bee-friendly garden, head over to Purple Flower for a wealth of suggestions.
Birds
Usually, we think about providing supplementary food for birds during the winter. For them, during this season, it can be the difference between survival and death. However, leaving a little food out for birds all year round, summer included, can be beneficial and help you in your quest of attracting them to your outside space. Offer a mixture of food, including nuts, seeds and fat balls, and be sure to place out of the way of cats.
Bird tables can add a touch of class to your garden, if that is an aim, but choose wisely to ensure they are safe for the birds. Too low and a pesky feline predator may all too easily leap and attack. Having the right plants can also help with attracting birds to your garden. Holly, ivy, honeysuckle and hawthorn are all great examples. Sunflowers can work wonders too with their large heads once they are past their best. Do not be tempted to remove them as birds will feed on them during the fall.
Insects
When it comes to insects in your garden, there are good and bad ones. Of course, you want to attract the good ones to ensure your garden looks attractive and is healthy too. Although it may pain you to do so, leave the occasional weed lying around every now and then. They add to the range of plants in your garden and therefore are more appealing to a wider range of creatures. Plants, where the flowers have an umbrella shape, can be useful in protecting your garden from the bad bugs too. Finally, if you are overcome by the bad ones, try a natural, organic pesticide.
