The Garden - UpTheGarden Company

With the increasing concern over biodiversity loss, many are turning to their own outdoor spaces to help save wildlife. A wildlife garden can provide a safe haven for a range of animals, from bees to birds and even hedgehogs! It is a great way to do your bit for nature and to encourage your garden to thrive and become more beautiful than ever. In this blog post, we’ll take you through the steps to create a wildlife garden that is both beautiful and beneficial.

Step 1: The Plants

The best way to attract wildlife to your garden is with the right kind of plants. Native plants that provide nectar, pollen and seeds are perfect for most creatures. Flowers such as lavender, marigolds, and cornflowers all provide nectar for bees and butterflies. Berry-bearing shrubs such as holly, rowan, and hawthorn will attract birds. Native wildflowers like oxeye daisies, knapweed, and cowslips are perfect for insects.

Step 2: The Water Feature

A water feature doesn’t have to be massive, but it is an excellent way to attract wildlife to your garden. A pond, stream or small container pond will provide an essential source of water for many creatures. Frogs and toads will lay their eggs in a pond, and dragonflies will hunt over the surface of the water. A simple bird bath will suffice for birds, and even hedgehogs will drink from it too.

Step 3: The Hiding Places

Wildlife needs places to hide and establish territory. A pile of logs in a shady corner will provide a home for insects and small mammals like hedgehogs and mice. A bird box on a tree or attached to a wall will provide a year-round home for birds. A bug hotel is another fun way to provide a home for a wide variety of insects.

Step 4: The Habitats

Different species of wildlife need different types of habitats to survive, depending on their diet and behaviour. To attract pollinators, plant flowers in beds and borders. To attract birds, plant dense shrubs and trees. To attract hedgehogs and other insects, create a wild area in your garden filled with weeds, long grass, and fallen leaves. Different habitats will attract and provide food for different species, and this will create a diverse and thriving wildlife garden.

Step 5: The Maintenance

Once your garden is thriving with wildlife, you’ll need to maintain it carefully. Keep on top of weeds and cut back dead growth to prevent disease from spreading. Allow some plants to go to seed, as this will provide a valuable source of food for birds. Top up the water feature regularly and make sure the bird bath is clean. If you have a pond, clean it out regularly and steer clear of using chemicals.

Creating a wildlife garden in your outdoor space needn’t be complicated, and it can benefit both you and the creatures that call your garden home. Once you have followed these steps, you’ll be able to enjoy watching the wildlife that comes to visit. You’ll also create a beautiful, thriving garden that will bring pleasure for years to come. Join the movement to protect nature by creating your very own wildlife haven in your garden.

Further Reading: Helping Wildlife this Winter

Gardening is one of the most rewarding hobbies you can undertake, but it requires a lot of time and effort to maintain a healthy and beautiful outdoor space. Many gardeners have turned to plastic artificial lawns as a solution to the maintenance problem. These products promise to reduce water usage and reduce maintenance time. However, installing plastic grass is not the ideal solution for your garden.

So, why is installing a plastic artificial lawn is a bad idea?

1) Plastic Artificial Lawns Harm The Environment

Choosing to install a plastic artificial lawn can be detrimental to the environment. Artificial grass is made from non-biodegradable materials, which means that it will not break down and decompose like natural grass. These materials will remain in landfills and ultimately harm the environment. Furthermore, creating and disposing of plastic artificial lawns can result in emissions of harmful chemicals and greenhouse gases.

2) They Are Bad For Soil Health

Natural grass provides various benefits to the soil ecosystem. It holds soil in place, introduces natural nitrogen-rich fertilizers, and promotes soil organisms’ growth, such as earthworms. Plastic artificial lawns, on the other hand, do none of these things. They tend to trap heat and decrease soil aeration, resulting in a weaker ecosystem’s growth. This weakens the soil nutrients, microbes, microflora, and water holding capacity.

3) Synthetics Lawns Increase Urban Heat

Most plastic artificial lawns are dark and absorb the heat from outside, causing an upsurge in local urban heat issues. This heat concentration can increase the temperature of the surrounding area. It has significant implications for the environment, including increasing power consumption and lowering air quality.

4) They Are Expensive

Plastic artificial lawns cost far more than natural grass, and they also require specialized equipment and trained labour to set up. Additionally, the cost of repairing any damages caused by pets, weather, and sunlight can add to the overall cost.

5) They Don’t Look Real

Lastly, the most practical benefit of natural grass is its visual appeal. Synthetic lawns tend to look fake, and they can negatively impact the aesthetics of your garden. Most of them are textured to look like real grass, but upon a closer look, you will know they are not natural.

While plastic artificial lawns may seem like the perfect solution to a low-maintenance outdoor space, they are not a good idea. These synthetic grass installations can harm the environment, soil health, affect heat concentration, cost a lot, and don’t look real. If you want to maintain a healthy and visually appealing outdoor space, it is best to look for other sustainable alternatives such as a xeriscape or low-maintenance garden. Maintaining healthy turfgrass without plastic lawns is achievable and highly rewarding.

Further Reading: Why Less Lawn is the Future

Category: The Garden

Create a Wildlife Haven in Your Own Garden

Why Plastic Artificial Lawns Are a Threat to Your Garden