Readers share what aspects of wildlife gardening matter to them
When it comes to gardening for wildlife, it’s time to grasp the nettle and concentrate on the essentials – as our reader takeover group told GW Wildlife Editor, Kate Bradbury
Our reader group were loud and clear that they wanted to put the spotlight on the importance of ALL garden wildlife, including an honest look at what’s struggling. How frank should we be about wildlife declines? As a general rule, here at the magazine we try to focus on the positives, to inspire rather than overwhelm, which could have the effect of making people feel that their actions won’t make a difference.
It was agreed, however, that a bit more negativity might be in order, as Stacey said: “sometimes a wee bit of negativity creates action, and I wonder if that’s the bit that’s missing? What do these declines mean for me? For us?”
Put simply, our wildlife is in trouble. Most of us know about individual declines of bees, butterflies, moths, hedgehogs and birds. I wonder, though, how many of us look at the bigger picture: insect numbers are in freefall – one German study suggested there were 75 per cent fewer flying insects in the country than there were in 1989. Other studies, looking at specific species, suggest bigger losses: here in Britain the garden tiger moth has declined by 94 per cent and the V-moth by 99 per cent.
One answer to Stacey’s question is these declines mean the food chains these insects are at the bottom of, are collapsing. They mean birds no longer have enough caterpillars to feed to their young and hedgehogs are starving – it’s estimated that there are as few as one million* hedgehogs left in the British Isles, compared to 30 million in the 1950s. Most people think that hedgehogs eat slugs and snails, which they do, but they prefer insects, specifically caterpillars and beetles. So every new piece of paving, decking or artificial grass is another nail in the coffin for our wildlife, and eventually for us. There. I said it.
Build it, and they will come
Gardening for wildlife is about trying to stop, or even reverse, these declines. It’s about understanding food chains and replacing lost habitats. As Boaz said, “if you don’t have plants for the caterpillars then you don’t get baby birds”. It works, too. My 40ft garden is alive with insects and everything that eats them, from frogs and toads, to bats, birds and hedgehogs – really fat healthy ones! And that’s despite having two paved gardens on either side of me. Ross advised that we should look at our gardens before making changes, thinking how they will affect the wildlife first.
The group noted that caring about the wildlife in our gardens gives us humans positive benefits, too. It is a respite from school or work stress and a way to slow down racing thoughts. Vaishali recommended turning compost as a physical exercise that has the
added benefit of making it faster, even in a small space. Joining together with your neighbours, advising each other and swapping plants will help you and your wildlife, too, the group suggested.
Where the wild things are
Just like us, wildlife needs food to eat and, as Iona stressed, water for drinking and bathing and somewhere safe to rest and raise young. Without those three things creatures will struggle. Do take care when using tools in the garden too, cautions Pippa, who had seen upsetting injuries to hedgehogs caused by strimmers. So, providing food, shelter and water in our gardens are the foundations on which everything else should be built. And remember – insects are at the heart of everything!
Take a few moments to look at your garden through the eyes of wildlife. You might have ornamental borders, a couple of trees, a climber or two and maybe a pond. But what do you SEE? Where do the bees take shelter when it rains? Where does the hedgehog make her nest? How do frogs travel across the garden? Can they do so without being eaten by blackbirds? This may seem silly, but bear with me: if a couple of blue tits asked you for directions to the best site for juicy caterpillars to feed their young, where would you send them?
Providing for wildlife is knowing the answers to the above questions. And you know the answers because you’ve created the habitats and you can see the wildlife enjoying them.
Hopefully, you’ll have some long grass that provides shelter for a wide range of insects, mammals and amphibians. You’re watching butterflies and moths laying eggs on your caterpillar foodplants. Your fence is covered in climbers, your borders are full of flowers and your pond is full of tadpoles. “Excuse me?” say the blue tits, and you direct them to the native trees, the meadow area, the wild bits around your pond. And you rejoice every time you hear healthy baby birds cheeping from your tit box.