What to include in a wildlife garden to help attract wildlife

1. A hedgehog feeding station.
1. A hedgehog nesting box sited in a shady sheltered area of your garden.
2. Bird table and feeders to encourage birds and other wildlife.
3. Nest boxes for birds.
4. A natural pond with gently sloping sides. This will attract a variety of wildlife including frogs and birds. Include bog or marsh plants to encourage insects. Cottage garden, woodland and cornfield flowers to attract bees, hoverflies and butterflies. Some examples are: cornflowers, foxglove, lavender, wallflowers, pinks, globe thistle, snapdragons, michaelmas daisies, honesty, forget-me-nots, poppies, stocks, petunias,
5. Meadow flowers and grasses as food plants for caterpillars and other insects. Sunflowers – fun to grow and the seeds will attract finches.
6. Old logs to attract insects and fungi and possible hedgehog nest site.
7. A grassy area left to grow wild. Nettles to attract butterflies and hence caterpillars.
8. Organic compost bin. A good way of recycling the nutrients, birds can feed on seeds and insects, and would also make a good nesting place for a hedgehog
9. Shrubs such as Buddleia to attract butterflies and which are home to aphids, hoverflies, bees and moths. Other shrubs provide a supply of insects in spring & summer and berries in the autumn eg: cotoneaster,honeysuckle, ivy, holly, hawthorn, privet, firethorn.

If you care about hedgehogs, do not use slug pellets, insecticide or weedkiller in your garden.