We are always trying to make the garden more wildlife friendly and it only takes a few key things – food, shelter and water – to share and encourage more birds, insects, mammals and invertebrates into the garden. We therefore resist making the garden overly ‘winter tidy’ by leaving seedheads, leaves, twigs and spent foliage to provide important sources of food and winter protection. All wildlife is being challenged by climate change and reduced habitats, but with a few simple changes in gardening practices the rewards of increased bird life, bugs and pollinators are incredible. They all help us sustain the health of the garden and in turn the health and wellbeing of us all.
At this time of year we can see the Cornus ‘Midwinter Fire’ actually light up like fire as the low winter sun streams through the garden. Snowdrops and hellebores are nodding their brave little heads and the Sarcococca ‘sweet box’ is producing its white, dainty, but highly fragrant flowers, along with pretty, sweet smelling Viburnums. The grasses sway and rustle in the winter winds and the rain makes the fresh new green shoots of the thousands of planted bulbs sparkle with enticing promise of a riot of spring colour to come.
There is much to enjoy in the winter garden and we all hope to see more wildlife – damselflies, dragonflies, birds, butterflies, bees etc – sharing and enjoying the garden with us after a long winter, so what we enable to shelter, feed and hideaway in our gardens now is essential for this to happen. Meanwhile we can all marvel at the visibly ‘at home’ robins cheekily joining us in the hope of a ‘free lunch’ – after all we all know it’s good to share!
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