5 QUESTIONS TO ASK...

Take a fresh look at your outside space and consider how you can make it more sustainable – a place for you to enjoy that will benefit the environment too

1 HOW CAN I ATTRACT MORE WILDLIFE?

Create a watery habitat that’s guaranteed to bring all sorts of creatures into your garden. A small birdbath or a bubble fountain surrounded by pebbles makes a perfect drinking spot for bees as well as birds. If you have the space, a pond with sloping sides – to give access and a means of escape for animals – is an ideal breeding ground for frogs, newts and insects. But even if you only have a small patio or balcony, you can still install a container pond or ‘pond in a pot’. These are brilliant for encouraging dragonflies and pond skaters.

2 WHY SHOULD I USE PEAT-FREE COMPOST?

Adding compost when planting enriches the soil and using it as a mulch on the surface of your beds helps the soil to retain moisture. Then, as the compost gradually breaks down, it will improve the soil’s structure, which in turn cares for the plant’s roots. But peat bogs store carbon, playing a vital role in combating climate change – as well as absorbing excess rainfall and providing a special habitat for many flora and fauna. Harvesting it releases massive amounts of carbon dioxide as well as destroying these slow-growing ecosystems, which is why the government has banned the sale of peat-based compost to home gardeners in England from this year. So whether you buy peat-free compost or choose to make it, you’ll be helping to protect the planet.

3 SHOULD I REMOVE WEEDS?

Maybe not always. These ‘unwanted’ hardy plants support a lot of wildlife: ‘Microbes, insects, birds and mammals all use and feed on weeds. A single nettle patch can support over 40 species of insects,’ says Paul Farrell in his book The Joy of Weeds. While you may not want to give a large bed of nettles pride of place, if you can spare a less prominent space, it will be an excellent habitat and source of food for many garden visitors. So the next time you’re tempted to dig up dandelions, nettles or buttercups, think twice.

4 WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A LOG PILE?

A log shelter or a bug hotel is a real bonus in your garden and will become an inviting home and feeding place for insects, worms and other assorted creepy crawlies, including the magnificent stag beetles. Birds will also enjoy feeding on the insects living in your woody refuge. To construct one, simply pile up pieces of dead wood (with bark intact) in a higgledy-piggledy fashion in a shady spot or under a large shrub; add twigs and, if you like, a layer of soil on top into which you can plant wildflower seeds or a small fern.

5 ANY ADVICE ON THE BEST PLANTS TO TEMPT IN POLLINATORS ?

A garden filled with scent will be a magnet for bees and butterflies as well as many other flying insects – all essential for food crops. When deciding what to plant, choose varieties that will give you a show of flowers and colour from early spring to late autumn. Helen Bostock, senior wildlife specialist at the Royal Horticultural Society, suggests: ‘Growing catmint in a bed alongside geraniums and lavender will be a hit with bumblebees and honeybees in the summer months.’ Besides formal planting, consider turning a small patch into a wildflower meadow and resist the temptation to tidy it. The more rich in diverse plant species a garden is, the better.