1. Plant nectar rich flowers for attracting butterflies and insects, these species will also produce fruit for birds, instead of species which don’t produce nectar and are of no use for wildlife.
2. Reduce the use of pesticides - they kill beneficial creatures as well as pests. It is better to work with nature, rather than against it. Allow hoverflies, ladybirds and hedgehogs to control pests. This will be better for wildlife, the environment and you.
3. Leave a pile of logs and make a compost heap which will offer shelter and give back nutrients to the garden. By using ‘homemade’ compost you could be safeguarding an ever decreasing habitat destroyed by peat digging.
4. Create a pond in your garden! It will attract wildlife, providing there aren’t any fish. Ideally, one side of the pond will slope gently into the water allowing creatures to get in and out easily. Remember to plant along one edge of the pond.
5. Attempt to ensure there are plants in bloom all year round. Try to ensure that there is one wildlife beneficial species in bloom during each month. This will give you enjoyment and provide a food source for insects.
6. Feed the birds – feeding them all year round is fine. They will eat some pests while awaiting their turn at the table!
7. Place a bird box in a sheltered spot facing eastward and out of reach of any prowling cats.
8. Attract moths, hoverflies (which eat pests) and bees by planting flowers to entice them in both sunny and sheltered areas of the garden.
9. Leave ivy to grow – it provides shelter for birds, produces nectar in winter and then berries in early spring, when food for birds is scarce.
10. Plant hardy perennials in a thick cluster and allow to grow undisturbed. This will provide shelter for newts and frogs as well as giving them a chance to forage.
Snowdonia National Park Authority, National Park Offices, Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd LL519DX
Telephone: 01766772274 e-mail: parc@snowdonia-npa.gov.uk www.snowdonia-npa.gov.uk