Attracting wildlife to your garden

WATER

Rule number one, to attract wildlife to your garden, is to make sure there is a constant supply of water. A shallow bowl or tray works well or you could try zinc containers full of water and water loving plants, so that the birds can drink, and the insects can rest on the leaves. 

Garden plants really benefit from a large range of wildlife in the garden, and the gardener too. Slugs, the bane of a gardener’s life can be kept under control by Hedgehogs, toads and frogs. So you might like to think about getting a pond if you haven’t done so already. A small pond can provide water for birds, different types of insect life from water boatmen to damsel and dragonflies, and frogs and newts. Make sure that wildlife has a way of getting in and out of the pond either by having shallow areas, or by providing some kind of ‘ladder’ so that they can climb out.

The sound of water in your pond will attract birds and insects better than anything else. Aphids are nectar to ladybird larvae, and bees and insects are a good food source for bats and birds, as well as pollinating your plants. If you don’t have one already, a classic shrub to attract insects is the Buddleia. Butterfly’s love it and, apart from the odd bit of pruning, it practically looks after itself. 

THE LOG PILE

So how can we encourage and support wildlife activity in our gardens?  It’s a good idea not to spend too much time tidying in your garden, Lawns are often home to thousands of wildflowers. Left to grow, instead of being cut off in their prime, their nectar is a wonderful food source for insects, and the RSPB says not to mow in May when the insects are growing. 

The humble log pile is the ideal habitat for many creatures from newts and toads to beetles and centipedes. Once the wood begins to rot down the fungi recycles the rotting wood and provides a home for slugs and snails and, eventually, a good food source for the birds. It’s difficult though to know whether the birds are getting all the nourishment they need, even in the summer. At this time of year they’re very active, nesting and trying to feed themselves despite the still frozen soil and lack of seeds and berries. The best way to be 100% sure is to choose Walter Products because each bag of seed you buy is designed specially to provide all the nourishment a bird needs, including essential vitamins which are sometimes hard to find. 

BUG HOTELS

Bug hotels are great fun to make and seem to capture the imagination of children. They can be made simply by taking an empty plastic bottle and cutting off both ends to make a cylinder. This cylinder can then be filled with twigs, fir cones, string, and bamboo to make little hiding spaces/homes for insect life.

BIRD FEEDERS

Adding bird feeders to your garden really draws in crowds of feathered friends. If you put out several different types of bird feeders and different types of food you will really be amazed how quickly word gets around and how quickly the range of birds visiting your garden develops. Walters scientifically produced bird food is chosen to appeal to birds of every size and hue.

You might like to try this simple bird feeder that the children can make for themselves;  

Simply remove the cardboard roll from a toilet or kitchen roll and smother the outside in peanut butter. Then roll the toilet roll in a tray of Walter Products niger seed so that the seeds stick to the peanut butter.

You can then tie a piece of string through the middle of the roll and hang it in a tree. Coconut shells work well too, filled with seeds, or dried mealworms, and fat balls, all birds love them, especially at this time of year when they need to keep up their strength for nesting time when they have to feed their young.  Walter’s products have many years’ experience in the formulation of bird and fish food. Scientifically sourced and reasonably priced, our products come with a 100% guarantee. 

Once you have your feeding system worked out remember to feed the birds morning and night and to always use the same feeder.  Its wonderful for them to know where and when there will be a supply of food, because, like us, they all love security and routine. 

We hope you find these ideas helpful and that, with the help of Walter’s your garden will be alive with birdsong until the first signs of Winter. 

View our full range of bird and pond fish food here >