7 ways to go wild this summer

Wildlife gardening isn’t complicated, so it’s a great way to get kids into the garden and absorbed in nature. Simply leaving a corner or two to go wild can benefit wildlife, while making bespoke habitats – like my giant bug hotel – can provide five-star accommodation for a range of invertebrates, and the animals that eat them.

Here, I’ve listed seven things you can do in your garden to help wildlife, all of which will appeal to nature-curious kids. They’re also cheap or free and easy to make, and will enable more creatures to feed and breed in your garden. Following these steps will help to make your garden its own self-regulating ecosystem, busy with the sound of birds and bees feeding and breeding in your space.

Check before you strim

Plenty of animals, including hedgehogs, reptiles and amphibians, take shelter in long grass, while some species of insects – such as bumblebees – nest in the thatch. Making sure the area is clear of these creatures before you strim can save lives, so don’t forget to check. It’s that simple.

Keep grass long

Long grass provides a wealth of opportunities for a huge range of species, from bees to caterpillars, hedgehogs to frogs. Leaving even a small patch unmown will give a place to go bug hunting and provide food and shelter for many creatures. These are food for wildlife further up the chain.

Welcome hoverflies

Most hoverflies lay eggs on established aphid colonies, but some breed in stagnant water. A simple hoverfly lagoon is easy for kids to make from a pot of water with added leaves or grass, and some vertical twigs to help emerging hoverflies climb out. It will provide the perfect breeding site, ensuring more hoverflies in your garden.

Add water

Don’t forget the value water brings to any garden. Summer can be dry, so make sure your bird bath is topped up regularly. Also add a container pond, to make sure there’s water for birds and other wildlife in the driest months – they’re great for a spot of pond dipping too!

Pile up logs

Creating a log pile is an easy summer-holiday project and can provide shelter for all manner of species, from the centipedes and beetles that hide beneath the logs to the frogs and toads that eat them. A log pile will also provide a safe refuge for mice and amphibians in your garden.

Make compost

An active compost heap offers a home for invertebrates such as beetles and centipedes. Compost bins can also shelter bumblebees, slow worms, mice and voles, while an open heap allows birds to pick through it to find insects.

Create habitats

You don’t need fancy materials to make a five-star bug hotel. A pallet will do for the frame, and it can be stuffed with bundled twigs, straw, pine cones and logs with holes drilled in them. It will then provide shelter for many species, from spiders and woodlice to amphibians. Larger spaces at the base can even be hideaways for hedgehogs.

Adam on TV

Join Adam and the rest of the team on Gardeners’ World every Friday at 8pm (9.30pm on 13 August).