Spring is here and whilst we might have been looking out on our gardens over the winter months, pondering sunnier days ahead, now is the time to get outside and prepare to make our green spaces wilder!

Did you know that if we were to combine all of our gardens nationwide, they add up to an area greater than all of the Wildlife Trust’s nature reserves across the UK? That goes some way to showing how important they are – whether a small balcony, a window ledge, yard or country pile, your outdoor space is part of the jigsaw – a rich mosaic and wider network of natural havens, linking urban green spaces with nature reserves and the wider countryside.

Every little action that you can take, from a small feature, such as a bird bath supplying fresh drinking and bathing water for birds, to a complete overhaul in making your garden wildlife-friendly for a wide variety of species, will make a difference for wildlife.

Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can get wilder as you step into your outside space this spring.

Make a pond!

We know we’ve said it many times before but we will continue to shout it from the rooftops – MAKING A POND IS THE BEST THING ANY OF US CAN DO FOR NATURE! Why? Well, ponds create a rich habitat, providing food, water, shelter and a breeding place for a huge variety of wildlife. Don’t think your pond has to be huge – a washing-up bowl pond can be supercharged with wildlife. In his blog, ‘Make a Pond!’ People and Wildlife Officer, Josh Kalms has provided chapter and verse on the merits of a pond for attracting wildlife, with lots of practical tips on how to plan and construct different size projects, plus he’s even shared before and after photos of his Nana’s pond – take a look to see just how quickly that started to get established and you can find out why Josh thinks a pond is akin to a Pot Noodle!

Give wildlife a home!

Bird boxes, bat boxes, Swift boxes, log piles, Hedgehog shelters, bug hotels, leaf litter…there are plenty of options you can consider to provide a home for wildlife. If you are practically minded you might want to have a go at building a bird box, or you could involve all the family in collecting components to make a mansion for bugs – insects in the garden provide a great feeding source for visiting wildlife! You can find many useful ways to encourage bats to your neighbourhood in our blog ‘Go Batty at Home!’, and find advice on making a small hole in your fence to support a Hedgehog’s need to roam here. Of course, it’s only right to consider what’s in this for you too. Think of the joy of watching the likes of Blue Tits and Robins raising their young knowing that you facilitated a home for them. Sit in the garden on a summer’s evening and let yourself be mesmerised by the swiftness and slightness of bats hunting insects at dusk, or spot a Hedgehog passing through as you put your bins out and have the privilege of gaining an insight to its world.

Get planting!

A variety of ornamental plants is not only pleasing to us but to wildlife too. Buddleia, lavender and honeysuckle will attract butterflies, bees, moths and hoverflies but there’s a wide variety of nectar-rich plants that you can choose from to create a show-stopping display for you and nature. Click on the link to find out some of the best plants for pollinating insects, as well as planting tips to get the most out of them. Watching butterflies on the wing is synonymous with bright, sunny days and a great way to boost wellbeing. You can put the foundations in place now for a fluttering display by growing host plants for caterpillars – find out more about how to attract butterflies to your garden and discover why leaving those stinging nettles alone is a good thing! Many garden centres are now labelling pollinator-friendly seeds and plants so take a look for these too.

If growing your own is more your thing, read how to grow a wildlife vegetable garden, and pick up lots of hints and tips, from companion planting to natural pest control.

Grow wild!

As long as you can live with it, don’t feel the need to be overly tidy in the garden. Nature loves us to be a little unkempt! Let the lawn grow a little longer, or leave a patch unmown and see what wildflowers begin to emerge – read our blog about No Mow May (this initiative will be running again this year) to discover all the benefits that leaving the lawnmower in the shed can yield! By leaving seedheads and plant stems uncut, you’ll provide a sanctuary for insects to shelter in. Slugs and snails might get a bad press but as well as being important members of our garden population, they are 'nature's clean-up crew' and do a great job on breaking down decaying plant matter and leaf litter, returning nitrogen, nutrients and minerals to the soil. You can find out more about how valuable these molluscs are by downloading our free Wild About Gardens 'Making friends with Molluscs' booklet, which we've produced in collaboration with The Royal Horticultural Society here. And just think of the time you’ll save with these hacks – giving you precious hours to kick back and admire your garden visitors!

Feed the birds!

If you have fed garden birds over winter, then please don’t stop now. Birds can be fed year-round, with spring being a great time to support successful breeding and rearing of young birds. In summer, those younger birds will benefit from easy food sources, whilst adult moulting birds will be glad of the extra energy provided by you. You can find out what and how to feed birds in your garden here.

We hope the above provides you with plenty of food for thought and resources to enable you to make your outside space that bit wilder.

Did you know that we offer Wildlife Sponsorships for many of our most loved garden visitors, including Bees, Hedgehogs and Song Thrushes? Available in Digital or Postal Sponsorship Packs, these make great gifts for nature lovers and help to support species that are struggling in the region. Find out more and order yours here. 

If you want to support bees further, please consider signing The Wildlife Trust’s petition to stop the use of bee-killing pesticides on sugar crops here.