Most gardens are primarily designed with people in mind, offering spaces to relax, entertain, and play. Unfortunately, planning for birds and wildlife is often an afterthought. Many are left disappointed when few birds visit their garden, especially after removing trees and replacing lawns with decking.
If you’re serious about attracting birds and other wildlife, here are five things you should definitely avoid.
In recent years, there’s been a growing trend towards low-maintenance gardens, with many people opting for decking, paving, or even artificial grass. While these choices can reduce upkeep, they offer very little to visiting wildlife. If you’re hoping to attract birds, a natural lawn made from real grass is incredibly valuable.
A patch of real grass provides an essential habitat, rich in seeds and insects for birds to feed on, as well as worms they can dig from the soil. Beyond food, lawns serve other important purposes too. Birds love to sunbathe on open grassy spaces, and the dead grass and clippings make excellent nesting material.
Even a small lawn can make a big difference, helping to turn your garden into a haven for local birdlife.
A variety of bird feeders can certainly help attract birds to your garden, but they shouldn’t be the only food source on offer. Natural foods are just as important – if not more so – for supporting birds year-round.
Planting fruit trees and berry-producing shrubs provides a rich, seasonal food supply, especially in late summer and autumn when birds need to build up energy reserves. Nut-bearing trees, such as hazel or beech, are also ideal for species that cache food to get through the colder months.
To encourage even more diversity, consider leaving a section of your garden to grow wild. This will allow native plants to set seed, attracting finches and other seed-loving birds. If space allows, you might even create a mini wildflower meadow, an excellent way to support not only birds but also pollinators like bees and butterflies.
By combining feeders with natural food sources, you’ll create a more balanced and sustainable habitat that birds will return to again and again.
Even small amounts of garden chemicals, such as fertilisers, pesticides, or household cleaners, can be harmful to birds and other wildlife. Wherever possible, it’s best to opt for natural alternatives that are safer for the environment and the creatures that visit your garden.
There’s a wide range of eco-friendly fertilisers available on the market, but you can also make your own using compost from kitchen scraps and garden waste. Composting not only reduces landfill but also improves your soil health, creating a more vibrant and wildlife-friendly garden.
If you live near the coast, seaweed can be an excellent natural fertiliser, rich in nutrients that benefit plants. However, be sure to check local by-laws before collecting it, as there may be restrictions on removing seaweed from beaches.
If you do find it necessary to use chemical products, take extra care to keep them well away from areas birds frequent, such as bird tables, feeders, nesting spots, and bird baths. A little caution can go a long way in keeping your garden a safe haven for feathered visitors.
A dead tree or shrub might not be the most attractive feature in your garden, but to birds and insects, it can be a treasure trove of life. Decaying wood provides a rich habitat for insects, beetles, and larvae and makes an ideal feeding ground for many bird species. If you’re lucky, you might even attract a woodpecker in search of its next meal.
Dead trees also offer valuable shelter. Birds may use cavities and crevices in the trunk or branches as safe spaces for nesting or roosting, particularly in the colder months when protection from the elements is essential.
It’s not just trees that can provide wildlife with a helping hand. In autumn and winter, resist the urge to tidy away every fallen leaf. Instead, leave a pile in a quiet corner of the garden. This simple act creates a cosy habitat for hibernating insects and even hedgehogs. When spring arrives, birds will rummage through the leaf litter, not just for insects, but also to collect nesting material.
Exotic plants can bring plenty of colour and a touch of the unusual to your garden, but when it comes to supporting local birdlife, they often fall short. Many non-native species don’t produce the types of food birds rely on, such as nutritious berries, seeds, or sap, and their unfamiliar structure makes them less appealing as nesting sites.
Native plants, on the other hand, are far better suited to the needs of local wildlife. Trees, shrubs, and flowers that have evolved alongside British birds and insects provide the right food sources at the right times of year, supporting everything from hungry fledglings to overwintering species.
What’s more, native species are generally hardier and more resilient. They’re naturally adapted to the UK’s soil conditions and climate, meaning they’re more likely to thrive with less intervention and maintenance. By planting native flora, you’re not only helping birds but also creating a more sustainable and self-supporting garden.
Wherever possible, choose a variety of native trees, hedgerows, and flowering plants to offer food, shelter, and nesting opportunities throughout the seasons. Your garden will soon become a hotspot for birds, bees, butterflies, and more.
