Creating a garden that is more friendly to the environment is something that everyone can do, no matter what size garden you have. It is important for everyone to work together to be kind to the planet and in your garden, there are many ways that you can do this, whatever type of garden you have…
One of the best ways to support wildlife in the garden is by adding a pond. A pond doesn’t have to be large to attract wildlife either. Water in a pond is a great source of drinking water for birds (seeing the swallows swoop low to collect water in the summer is a particular highlight!) and it also provides a home for animals that live in and around ponds, from insects like the great diving beetle, to amphibians like newts and frogs who breed in the pond (look out for the frog spawn in the spring!)
When you design a pond for wildlife, having edges that slop gently into the water gives easy access for many animals, and add native water plants to oxygenate the water.
When it comes to adding plants and flowers to the garden, choosing native species is the best bet. Not only are they easier to care for, being native, because they are suited for the conditions in the garden, but they are also best for the native animals and insects too. Pollinating animals like bees are also going to be attracted to these plants. For hedges, hawthorn and blackthorn are great, and for flowers, knapweed, oxeye daisies and foxgloves are all flowers that are great for a garden that are also native wildflowers.
If you are adding a shed or even a decked area to the garden, make sure that you use natural materials where possible, and if you are using timber, then choose a company that sources it sustainably like this timber merchants Winchester www.timbco.co.uk/timber-merchants-winchester/
Timber has a lower carbon footprint than many other building materials and fits well into any garden. You can also use reclaimed wood which means that you are not using any new resources and are recycling wood that has been formerly used.
Another thing that you might want to consider for an eco-friendly garden is making your own compost. Getting a home compost bin and making a start on your own is a great way to recycle and provide nutrients for your garden.
