Spring and summer are wonderful times of the year. Flowers start blooming and lambs and calves appear in the fields. It is also the time of year when more wildlife starts to appear in our garden. If you love being in your garden and watching the birds and insects flying around, there are a number of things that you can do to support them.
Homes – providing birds with nesting spots is a great way to encourage them into your garden. These can be made of wood and positioned on the outside of your home or in the case of Robin nests placed against a wall in a sheltered place. You can also encourage the birds to take materials from your garden to build their homes. This will include twigs and leaves that you can leave in a small pile in one area of your garden. If you have hedgehogs in your garden you can build a home for them using logs and leaves. There are also homes that you can buy that will encourage bees, butterflies and other insects to make homes and shelters from the rain.
Food – there are a number of ways that you can feed the wildlife that comes into your garden. Bird feeders that contain seeds are quick and easy to install and you can use them all year round. They become particularly important in the winter when fat balls can help keep birds at a healthy weight. The plants that you grow in your garden will also help wildlife as they will feed on the seeds and berries that grow in the spring and summer. There are a number of seed collections that advertise themselves as being good for bees and butterflies and these are a great way to start a wildlife-friendly garden.
Do you have a favourite animal or insect that you like to watch in your garden?