In 2006, Swindon Garden Designer Jill Blackwood created ‘A Bonnie Burn’ for the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) Malvern Spring Gardening Show. The wildlife garden design illustrated the importance of encouraging and nurturing our native wildlife through wildlife gardening.  Jill was awarded an RHS Medal and the garden was featured on BBC Gardeners World.

As the plight of our wildlife continues and the numbers of bees, butterflies and other insects dwindling, we are all becoming increasingly aware of our impact on the environment.

Thankfully many of us are starting to look for ways to improve matters.  Creating a garden for wildlife is essential.

Jill felt and continues to feel that we could all ‘do our bit’ and that all gardens can include some or all of the key elements that will help to create a sanctuary for our wildlife.  Any garden can include an area of native wildflowers which will provide a ‘nectar bar’ for bees and other insects to feed on.  A water feature, however small, can provide water for animal such as hedgehogs and a huge variety of insect and birds to drink.  If you have room, a larger water feature such as a pond can provide a habitat for pond dwellers like toads and frogs.

Creating biodiversity in our gardens is not difficult.  Thoughtful garden design can easily include all the elements for wildlife gardening to nurture wildlife.  Native trees like birch, hawthorn and rowan will provide safe nesting and food and shelter for birds. The birds and other wildlife will come to the garden to feed on the insects and drink the water.  Animal shelters, insect homes, birds’ boxes or simply a pile of rotting logs will provide shelter and hibernation areas for bees and other insects, along with birds and small mammals like hedgehogs that come to feed and drink. This can all be achieved in a relatively small area that could fit in a quiet corner of most gardens. Even with the tiniest back or front garden we can all play a part in the crucial task of nurturing our wildlife.

As we all become increasingly aware of our impact on the environment, creating a mini eco system by wildlife gardening will help to attract and maintain wildlife, preserving biodiversity and helping to provide wildlife corridors in our towns and cities.