A THRIVING ECOSYSTEM IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD
Over the last year, you’ve put recycling habits in place, made more ethical shopping choices and tried some upcycling. Now what? It’s a new year, and smack in the middle of summer, so there’s no better time to move your sustainability actions to the outdoors.
With a few small tweaks to the way you tend your garden, you can refresh your outdoor spaces and set the stage for a thriving ecosystem for plants, bees, butterflies and birds. Best of all, you can do it without increasing water or energy use.
Support native birds, bees, and ¢ora
Bees, butterflies, birds and insects play a vital part in a thriving garden. From pollinating flowers to fertilising plants, they keep our ecosystems in check. By creating a habitat that encourages them to live in your garden, they’ll help keep it beautiful. With bees and some bird species under threat, the safe haven at your place also contributes to the wider conservation e ort.
Attract bees by planting generous clusters of the same flower, but avoid hybrids if you can. Yellow, blue, and purple flowers are bees’ favourites and it’s a good idea to choose flowers with flat petals so the bees can land and easily reach the nectar. Planting new flowers for each season will give them a year-round nectar supply. Keep a shallow water source nearby to help the bees stay hydrated, and never spray plants when they are flowering.
Attract butterflies with a swan plant. Spring is the best time to plant them, and we recommend putting them in pots so you can move them into sheltered spots. Ideally, you’ll want only two or three caterpillars per plant to maintain a steady food supply. Look for eggs on the underside of the leaves, and once hatched, put in some supports and place some netting over the swan plant to keep the chrysalises safe until they transform.
Attract birds with flowers and native plants. Good news! Many of the flowers you plant to attract bees will also attract birds. Birds love a bit of variety and they love native plants. The more you have, the more you’ll attract. A bird bath is a great way to bring native birds into your outdoor spaces, giving them a source of drinking water and the ability to paddle and play away from predators.