THE GOOD LIFE
Practical ideas and advice for would-be smallholders
IT’S THE TIME OF YEAR WHEN YOU START TO TIDY UP THE GARDEN, but there’s a good reason not to be too vigilant in this task. Gardeners’ friends, such as hedgehogs, birds, toads, spiders, ladybirds and solitary bees, will all thank you for leaving some areas less than immaculate. Here’s our selection of ways you can make wildlife feel at home during the colder months.
CREATE A LOG PILE
Stack pieces of wood, the bigger the better, in a quiet corner of the garden to provide a hibernation site for hedgehogs. Include old, decaying timber, as it’s particularly good for insects (hedgehog food!) and the grubs of stag beetles, which bury into rotting logs. Similarly, leave a few leaf piles under hedges for hedgehog nesting materials and shelter for insect life.
DIG A POND
Creating an area with water is the quickest way to encourage all manner of garden-friendly creatures, such as frogs, toads and newts, plus birds and insects that will come to drink. It doesn’t have to be enormous; in fact, it doesn’t have to be a pond at all – a submerged shallow bowl or even an inverted dustbin lid can do a very effective job. Just remember to create a shallow area where birds can splash and hedgehogs drink, and which will provide a means of escape for any creature that falls in. This could be a large branch sticking out of the water or a series of big stones.
INSTALL A NO-CUT ZONE
Grasshoppers and other insects need standing vegetation in order to overwinter, so leave a patch of lawn, perhaps under
a tree, or a corner of sturdy perennials uncut. They’ll prosper just as well after being cut back early next year.
LEAVE SOME SEED HEADS ON PLANTS
Finches and other birds will be grateful for a winter snack from teasels, thistles and sunflower heads. If you don’t already have them, hang out bird feeders. They’re best sited near a dense plant, such as a rambling rose, so small birds can dart in and out in safety – another reason not to get carried away with the pruning. Take down bird boxes and give them a good clean with hot water to remove any mites or fleas.
WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE
Just as important as putting food out for birds is making sure there’s a supply of clean, unfrozen water. A shallow dish on the ground (out of reach of cats) and one raised up higher will supply birds, insects and small mammals with an essential drink. Head out with the kettle on sub-zero days to remove the ice.