RHS encourages gardeners to attract wildlife

The Royal Horticultural Society is encouraging gardeners to aim to attract more wildlife to their garden in the New Year. The charity has outlined the importance of wildlife conservation, stating that many species are becoming endangered.
The society has offered three ways in which gardeners can increase wildlife activity in their garden. The three top tips included adding birdfeeders and nestboxes to the garden, using lavender plants in window boxes to attract bees and butterflies and adding a pond to the garden to attract waterbeetles and dragonflies.

Other advice, which was provided by the Wildlife Trusts’ Big Wildlife Garden Awards project manager, Morag Shuaib, included avoiding pruning perennials to enable extra shelter for overwintering insects and leaving rotting wood to decay to attract centipedes and beetles.

Helen Bostock, a wildlife expert for the RHS, said that the New Year is the best time to make gardens wildlife-friendly.

“We have seen gardeners become much more interested in the role their gardens have in helping UK wildlife,” she said.

“The New Year is the best time to plan how to make your garden more wildlife-friendly and joining the Defra-sponsored Big Garden Wildlife Competition is an excellent way to get yourself motivated.”