Like us, wildlife needs a healthy home. Birds, butterflies, ladybirds, hedgehogs and wood mice need that space where they feel safe to rest, feed and find a mate.

We know that wildlife is suffering declines – the real possibility that we could be the last generation to see a hedgehog on the wild is unthinkable - but with our gardens making up nearly 30% of the total urban area of Yorkshire, that’s a lot of potential for action in our gardens on whatever scale.

If we get enough gardens, neighbourhoods joining in, we can have a dramatic impact on the health, variety and long term future of our wildlife.  Chose to create an outdoors space for nature whatever size – from a pond in large lush garden to a planter of wildflowers.

How does your garden grow?

Many of us love neat and tidy, it’s a garden fashion, our neighbours might display neat and tidy gardens too – but this can be an alien landscape to our local wildlife. If your garden relies on lots of time, expensive chemicals and everywhere feels like a constant battle for control, then maybe it’s time to relax a little and see what you could do to provide a more welcoming spot for nature.    

Simply, the right plants provide a home or food for bugs, bees and butterflies. In turn they provide food for birds, small mammals and bats. Get this system functioning similar to how it does in the wild, and you’ll find that nature helps you out too, with birds eating the slugs, and ladybirds tackling the aphids, and healthier soil too.  

It’s not just for wildlife

That warm fuzzy feeling when we spot a robin, or blackbird splashing in the bird bath, the first orange tip butterfly of the year, perching on a primrose or a ladybird enjoying the sunshine rays. Noticing and enjoying nature, providing it with a home has actually been proven to be good for us too, it can lower blood pressure and give us a sense of wellbeing. We stop a second, wonder at the beauty and the joy of it. And breathe.

Start small

We’re not suggesting you go full on grand designs in the garden – but we’re here to inspire if you want to. But start small, make a plan, see what you already have and go from there.