Pro-Pollinator & Anti-Pest Garden Design

Working with nature

Wildlife gardening

Sharing our gardens with nature brings joy to an increasing number of gardeners. A rich diversity of plant and animal species will live happily alongside people, needing only a little helping hand from us. Discover what you can do to make your outside space a haven for wildlife

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Top things to do

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• Encourage garden birds and provide shelter

• Let a patch of lawn grow long

• Make a wildlife pond

• Plant a flowering tree or berry-bearing shrub

• Sow a pot or border with nectar-rich annuals

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Gardening for wildlife

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Gardening in a way that is sympathetic to nature is good for wildlife and good for us too. From the way we tackle weeds and pests, to the management of our ponds and planted areas, we can attract nature without compromising the way our gardens look

Plants for wildlife

What's a garden without plants? No matter how big or small, from wildflowers to potted plants our gardens are becoming increasingly useful habitats for nature. Grow a wide variety of plants and you'll offer food and shelter for all sorts of wildlife

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Plants for bees

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Make your garden a haven for bees by planting pollen and nectar-rich flowers. Whatever your garden space this selection will help get it buzzing.

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Practical tips

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1. Aim to have something in flower every month of the year.

2. If you have room, plant a flowering tree.

3. Plant things you enjoy as well as the bees!

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Bulbs and perennials for the flower border

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Allium 'Eros'

Galanthus × hybridus 'Merlin'

Hylotelephium 'Matrona'

Nepeta × faassenii

Salvia nemorosa 'Ostfriesland'

Geranium phaeum 'Rose Madder'

Aster amellus 'Gründer'

Geranium × cantabrigiense 'Berggarten'

Crocus × luteus 'Golden Yellow'

Crocus 'Ruby Giant'

Eupatorium cannabinum

Linaria purpurea

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Plants for birds

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Choose the right plants, and you can provide food and shelter to attract a vast array of birds. 

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Practical tips

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1. If you put out food for birds, regularly clean the feeders

2. A shallow watertight bowl makes a great bird bath

3. Create nesting sites with dense shrubs or hedges

Berrying and fruiting trees

Malus hupehensis

Prunus padus 'Watereri'

Sorbus aucuparia

Sorbus torminalis

Taxus baccata

Malus trilobata

Crataegus laevigata

Prunus avium

Cotoneaster 'Cornubia'

Crataegus monogyna

Sorbus aria

Malus × zumi 'Professor Sprenger'

Prunus spinosa

Plants for butterflies

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There are nearly 60 species of butterfly in Britain, many to be seen in gardens. Enjoy their beauty and help support them by planting some of these butterfly favourites.

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Practical tips

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1. Plant a nectar-rich butterfly border in a sunny spot

2. Some butterflies such as red admiral enjoy over-ripe fruit in the autumn

3. Include a few caterpillar food plants in your mix

Spring and early summer nectar plants

Lavandula angustifolia 'Lullaby Blue'

Ajuga reptans

Malus × floribunda

Muscari neglectum

Silybum marianum

Erica carnea f. alba 'Winter Snow'

Lobularia maritima 'Violet Queen'

Cirsium heterophyllum

Lavandula × intermedia 'Hidcote Giant'

Centranthus ruber 'Albus'

Aubrieta 'Red Carpet'

Lobularia maritima 'Wonderland White'

Centaurea cyanus 'Dwarf Blue Midget'

Hesperis matronalis

Lychnis flos-cuculi

Centaurea cyanus

Cirsium rivulare 'Atropurpureum'

Erysimum 'Bowles's Mauve'

Centaurea 'Jordy'

Cirsium rivulare 'Trevor's Felley Find' PBR

Hebe 'Pink Elephant'

Silene dioica

Cardamine pratensis

Hebe × andersonii

Habitats for wildlife

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As well as choosing the right plants, there are many other ways to help wildlife thrive in your garden. Whether it's simply providing food and water or letting a patch of lawn grow longer, it's easy to increase the biodiversity of your garden