Six ways to rewild you garden and help save our

IT’S a worrying reality that many of our native butterflies are in decline, as highlighted in a recent study of European species. The research, published in the scientific journal PNAS, noted that overall numbers have declined by 50% since 1976.

Indeed, seven out of 10 British species of butterfly are declining, many of those very rapidly, and some which were previously common, including grass feeders such as small skipper, common blue, small blue, small copper and small heath, according to the charity Butterfly Conservation (butterfly-conservation.org).

Conservationists believe that rewilding your garden can go some way to stemming the decline, even in a small space. The charity’s director of conservation Dr Dan Hoare, co-author of the research paper, explains: “Going wild in your garden is absolutely the right approach.”

He recommends these six key steps to rewilding your plot to help these beautiful insects thrive once more.

1. LET GRASS GO WILD

“Introduce small flower species to your lawn by letting your grass grow longer and wilder,” he suggests. “Put away the mower and let your lawn grow between April and July.”

He concedes that some gardeners who want a neater space will be reluctant to let their beloved lawn grow to huge proportions, but says you can do your bit by just leaving a smaller area untouched.

“Could you leave a patch at the end of the garden to grow longer? Could you leave the edges? I have two kids who want to run around on the lawn all summer. I leave a long patch