Living with Birds Plan your wildlife garden Tweetapedia

Most of us would be astonished by the variety of creatures that can be found in gardens. We may see and recognise the biggest and most obvious visitors, but much else remains unseen and unrecorded.

During the course of a year a typical country garden might be visited by 10 species of mammals, 15 of butterflies, three amphibians, one or two reptiles and perhaps 300 macro moths. Add in bees and flies, spiders and beetles, wasps and dragonflies and it is easy to see how the overall total can be amazingly high.

Of course the more different habitats we can introduce into a garden, the greater the variety of wildlife it will attract. A large plot consisting of a lawn and a few bushes cannot compete with one of just half the size if the latter has a pond, mature trees, nectar-rich plants and perhaps a wild corner.

Nest boxes and insect houses allow us to cheat and attract in even more species. If there are bats in your neighbourhood, why not try a bat box? Children will be fascinated by insect nesting houses, while ladybird houses are great fun and may attract several different species of ladybird.

To be a wildlife gardener plan your garden with care and don’t be afraid to take advice. The more mini habitats you can introduce the better. Biodiversity isn’t just a catchphrase for those working in the wider environment – it applies to gardens, too.