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Don't be too tidy!

Depending on how much space you have - in the autumn, leave a pile or two of logs, twigs and leaves to provide shelter for overwintering creatures. You might be lucky to get a hedgehog spending the cold months there, or frogs, toads and ground beetles. Frogs and toads will help keep the slug and snail population down for you.

Ladybirds appreciate being able to shelter in hollow twigs and leaves. Depending on your climate zone, they usually emerge and mate around May (one reason why we sometimes call them May bugs). Be careful if you need to move your wildlife pile in Spring. Leave it as late as you can in the year and don't set fire to the heap. There might still be some wildlife friends making their home in it.

Create a water source

If you don't already have one, make a pond. This will be useful for birds and almost any other creature you can name. It doesn't need to be deep or particularly large, you can often improvise with a bucket or even a washing up bowl, sunk into the ground. You can find instructions and support at your local wildlife trust or nature centre.

Don't forget the bees (and hoverflies)

Bees don't just make honey. They are pollinators and without them we would lose one third of our fruit and vegetables. They need shelter and a constant supply of food in the form of nectar supplied by a wide variety of flowers. Hoverflies are useful predators.

If you love your blooms, this is your chance to go to town on them. Find out more about bee 'lifestyles' and the different kinds of bees. Honey bee, bumble bee, solitary bees, you'll have different ones in your climate zone. Favourite flowers include: Bee Balm, Poached Egg Plants (easy to grow and they self-seed) Lavender, Rosemary, Borage, Raspberries, Blackberries and other hybrid fruits.

Support your local beekeepers

Contact your local beekeeping association. You might not be able to run a hive yourself, but perhaps you might encourage them and invite them to give a talk at your local school, church or club.

Consider getting a bee box. Your wildlife trust should be able to give you instructions about how the make one, or you can buy one. They also make lovely gifts.

Bats

Bat-watching is great fun, especially for children. Try making a bat box and you might catch them flying round your garden on summer evenings.

Become an organic gardener

The eco-system will thank you for it. Contact 'Garden Organic' for further information and tips. For an global gardening perspective 'Kitchen Gardeners International' have a fantastic site and loads of seasonal advice: KGI

Learn more about this author, Frances Laing.
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