TOP TIPS TO ATTRACT WILDLIFE

Our gardens are not just home to many summer BBQ's and lots of sunbathing, they are also home to a number of wildlife species.

Here are some top tips to attract wildlife into your garden

If you love the birds, butterflies and bees like us then you will be keen to know the plants which these species are especially attracted to.

Buddleia, which you can find on our website, is also commonly known as the butterfly plant and I'm sure the name gives away what species it brings into our gardens.

This is because buddleia produce nectar with a higher content of sucrose, glucose and fructose than a lot of other garden flowers.it

Birds aren't too fussy when it comes to the plants they love, but of course like all of us they have their favourites.

Birds tend to take a liking to shrubs as they create a compact, shielded, leafy area. They also take a liking to evergreen plants to enjoy during the winter months.

Our website offers a number of options for both these types of plants, simply search "shrub" or "evergreen" for your phone to be flooded with images of bird friendly plants in order to make your garden a home for them.

Every single day we rely on our bees to pollinate our fruit and veg, so to give back let's plant something in our gardens that is beneficial for them.

Lavender are a top pick for bees as it supplies a large amount of nectar and pollen.

To put it simply, lavender and bees are the best of friends. Not only do these plants benefit the bees they benefit us because of there amazing smell and colour!

By introducing wildlife into our gardens, it gives them a new lease of life and creates a whole new environment for us and our little friends to enjoy.

Planting a hedge does more than create a barrier between you and your neighbours, it can become a home for many wildlife species.

Use a mix of varieties of hedging to make it attractive and also give shelter.

Evergreens are great for hedging giving you year round colour.

Now is the ideal time to start planning your Pollinator Garden to attract the Wildlife

As part of our top tips to attract wildlife we have compiled a list of some of our pollinating plants:

• Sarcococca Confusa - Sweet box
• Viburnum Tinus
• Viburnum Oculus
• Acer Platanoides
• Prunus Laurocerasus
• Salix Caprea
• Vaccinium Corymbosum - Blueberry
• Catalpa Bignonioides
• Laurus Nobilis - Bay Trees
• Lavandula Stoechas
• Lavandula Angustifolia
• Pyracantha Firethorn
• Fatsia Japonica

Even planting one of the above will help attract the wildlife into your garden or outdoor space.

Try planting lavender in pots on your patio or balcony.  As well as the beautiful scent you will also be attracting the bees.

Inner City Gardens

In a city insects like bees, butterflies and hoverflies, can flit from one garden to the next and by doing so ensure they find food whenever they need it.

Although traditionally regarded as ecological wastelands, urban landscapes can support diverse pollinator populations.

The urban garden produces some 85% of the nectar found in a city.

Research conducted at the universities of Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Northumbria, Reading and the Royal Horticultural Society, investigated the nectar production in different urban areas to see how they compared with one another and with rural habitats.

They found that urban areas are not so bleak after all. They offer comparable resources to rural habitats, with gardens providing nectar-rich oases to support our pollinating insects.

I hope our top tips to attract wildlife into your garden has inspired you.

Wildlife Trust

The Charity Wildlife Trust was founded in 1912.     A name you will certainly recognise connected to the Trust is Sir David Attenborough, currently President Emeritus.

The aim of the trust is to provide a strong collective voice for wildlife to promote a thriving natural world.

If you would like more information regarding the importance of wildlife then why not consider joining the Wildlife Trust.    Simply enter your postcode in the Wildlife trust website to see the benefits you will receive.

Interesting fact

The Difference between Honey Bees and Bumblebees

One of the main differences between bumblebees and honeybees is their appearance.

Bumblebees are larger and rounder than honey bees and they have a fuzzy appearance due to their dense hairs.

Bumblebees also have a more varied colouration, with black, yellow, and brown being the most common colours.

Honey bees, on the other hand, are smaller and slender, and they have a smooth, shiny appearance due to their lack of hair.

Honey Bees are also typically more uniform in colour, with shades of yellow and brown being the most common.