Gardens for wildlife
Designing gardens for wildlife
Wildlife in a garden adds an extra dimension that all too often we gardeners take for granted. A garden without birds, bees or butterflies would indeed be a sterile environment and so we need to embrace the diversity that wildlife brings and take a more relaxed attitude.
Top tips for a wildlife garden
Where to get ideas for wildlife garden design
Abbey House Gardens near Malmsbury in Wiltshire is a spectacular garden originally cultivated by monks for medicinal herbs. Paths lead down to the bottom garden where there are shade loving plants, specimen trees and shrubs. When you take a walk along the the river, including St Aldhelm's Pool, you might be lucky to see Kingfishers and Yellow Wagtails.
Arley Aboretum near Bewdley in Worcestershire is home to over 300 species of trees and features a lovely Laburnum arch, measuring 65 metres. This is a popular garden for nature lovers with every season bringing different things to see.
Barnsdale Gardens near Oakham were made famous by Geoff Hamilton of BBC’s Gardeners World. Over 5 acres of individually designed and well-stocked gardens, all built on peat-free, organic principles that Geoff espoused. Each one offers practical concepts that you can use at home as well as botanically labelled plants giving practical ideas for the visitor.