Go Wild in April: Make Your Garden a Haven for Wildlife
Every April, our gardens come alive with wildlife. Here’s how you can make your garden a haven for creatures great and small:
Caterpillars and Birds: A Match Made in Nature
Caterpillars are essential food for baby birds. In April, caterpillars are emerging from hibernation, so it’s important to leave some areas of your garden a little wild. Let fallen leaves accumulate and allow some grass to grow long. This will give caterpillars a place to hide and hibernate.
Bees and Pollinators: The Unsung Heroes
Bees and other pollinators are busy gathering food for their young in April. Plant flowers that bloom in April, such as apple blossoms and lungwort. You can also put up a bee hotel to give solitary bees a place to nest.
Water and Shelter: Essential for All
All wildlife needs water and shelter. Provide water for birds, bees, and other creatures by using water butts. Create shelter by leaving log and leaf piles and having a large compost heap.
Specific Wildlife Spotlights
- Garden tiger moth: This once-common moth has declined by 92% in recent years. Help it by being less tidy in winter and allowing weeds to grow.
- Hairy footed flower bees: These bees love lungwort flowers. Plant lungwort in your garden to attract them.
- Red mason bees: These solitary bees are more efficient pollinators than honeybees. Put up a bee hotel to give them a place to nest.
By following these simple tips, you can make your garden a haven for wildlife and enjoy the beauty of nature all around you.
