06 Aug Bold Beasts: 5 Ways to Help the Wildlife in your Garden

It will come of no surprise to any of you that we at Bold Beasts absolutely love animals. And, if you’re reading this blog, then you probably do as well! Unfortunately for some of the smaller critters out there, nature is just as cruel as it is beautiful. With that in mind, here are 5 ways that you can quite easily give a helping hand to the animals closest to home – literally speaking.

1. Make a log pile

Although they may not be particularly attractive or interesting to look at, small piles of rotting logs are an absolute godsend to burrowing creatures such as beetle larvae and woodlice. They will also attract toads and centipedes – your new log pile will be an ecosystem all of its own! As well as providing a home for some of the world’s more overlook creatures, this will greatly increase the overall health of your garden.

2. Feed the birds

…tuppence a bag! Well, it may cost a bit more than that these days, but bird food is still definitely affordable, and it’s very easy to keep your local birds well-fed. Obviously, you can get yourself a birdhouse – either a standalone model, or one to attach to the side of a tree. Building one of these can also make a really fun DIY project, which will be rewarding to both you and your feathered friends. In fact, you don’t even need a garden to feed your local birds – you can get smaller feeders which will attach to a window or drainage system. In terms of what you feed them, try to provide high-energy nutritious foods such as sunflower seeds.

3. Let nature have its own patch

If you’re a keen gardener, weeds are your biggest enemy. It’s not just the fact that they endanger your others plants; they’re just so unsightly. However, other species do not share our views on this subject. Patches of ‘overgrown’ weeds make very attractive prospects to goldfinches (who are big fans of thistle seeds), as well as peacock butterflies, whose caterpillars eat nettles. You don’t have to assign too much space to this ‘au naturele’ patch – maybe just a few square feet.

4. Dig a pond

This one definitely requires a decent-sized garden, but it’s one of the best things you could possibly do to encourage wildlife to flourish in your garden. Even if they’re not particularly well-maintained, ponds are absolutely teaming with plant and animal life. A pond also provides drinking water for the aforementioned birds, and could even attract some of their bigger cousins, such as the heron (something to be aware of if you plan on introducing fish to the pond). One thing to take into consideration before starting this project – digging a pond-sized hole is very hard work! You might want to get a willing coworker on board.

5. Keep your kitties in check

As lovable as they are (see our friend Caractacus for reference), cats are not an all-natural part of the food chain – at least here in the UK. They are, however, fierce natural hunters. For this reason, it’s important to minimize the damage that your cats could do to your garden’s ecosystem – particularly when it comes to birds. There are a couple of simple things you can do to counteract the threat they pose to your birdies. If you usually let your cat out of the house, try not to do so as much in the evenings, or in springtime, which is baby bird season. Also, try to keep the bird feeder out of their reach (bear in mind that cats can jump or climb great distances).

We hope that you’ve found this blog helpful, and that you can put some of these ideas into practice. For more like this, follow us on Facebook!