Wildlife friendly gardening

Creating spaces for wildlife is something many of us try to do throughout the year. As the weather becomes warmer and the cold winter months slowly fade away, spring offers us all an opportunity think about ways we can improve our garden and outdoor space.

Take a look at Grow Green, an article written by Holly (who runs Grow Smiles, one of our local nurseries) for some helpful tips and advice.

Betchworth resident Claire Benn kindly shared two handouts she prepared:
Wildlife Friendly Gardening
Encouraging Wildflowers
and an organic gardening handout sourced from Garden Organic.

If you would like further tips guidance the Re-Betchworth team has published lots of information of their Re-Betchworth website.

If you would like to be able to improve your identification skills you might like to consider contributing to one or more annual surveys:

Wildflowers

Plantlife is a British conservation charity working with landowners, businesses, conservation organisations, community groups and governments to save our rarest flora and ensure familiar flowers and plants continue to thrive.

Get to know Britain’s beautiful wildflowers by taking part in Plantlife’s annual wildflower hunts. Each hunt starts with a search for spring favourites, such as celandines and primroses, and is a great way to enjoy nature, whatever your experience. You can contribute to this project by recording the wildflowers you see in your garden or when you take a walk. You can download an app to record your sightings or, if you prefer pen and paper, worksheets can be printed. Plantlife provides information to help you identify the wildflowers you are likely to see.

Butterflies

The Butterfly Conservation Trust website provides lots of tips for you to follow to encourage butterflies and moths to visit your garden. Each summer the Trust masterminds a Big Butterfly Count and contributors are encouraged to continue recording their sightings year round using the Big Butterfly Count app.

Birds

The British Trust for Ornithology has a wealth of information and a wide range of options for anyone wishing to support the many projects and initiatives currently underway.

RSPB and BTO websites and apps are packed full of information to help you learn not only about birds but also the habitats they thrive in, the species they rely on for food and ideas you can consider to help support nature in your own outdoor space and when enjoying the outdoors.

Hedgehogs

Are you lucky enough to have hedgehogs visit your garden?  If yes, then do please register your sightings at the Big Hedgehog Map.  Even if the answer is ‘maybe’, please leave out some food to help them fatten up before the weather changes and they hibernate; high protein kitten food is ideal, in a shallow non-tipping bowl.