Housebuilder’s Top Tips On Garden Wildlife Week

In honour of Garden Wildlife Week (Monday 6 June – Sunday 12 June), housebuilder Mulberry Homes is sharing its top tips on how to make gardens welcoming to local animals and insects.

Kerry Jones, sales and marketing director at Mulberry Homes, said “Caring for local wildlife is something that is very important to us at Mulberry Homes and something we try to incorporate throughout all our developments, though actions such as installing wildlife-friendly features, donating to local charities and educating the public on how to care for the animals in their area. We hope these tips can help to further that mission.”

Install hedgehog highways

Hedgehogs can be found all over the United Kingdom, and they love to visit gardens. Hedgehog highways are small, hedgehog-sized openings in fences that allow them to easily roam in and out, and avoid dangerous areas such as busy roads. They are installed at a number of Mulberry Homes' developments and allow residents to enjoy visits from the animals, whilst also keeping out larger predators.

Be careful of drains, ponds and pools

A common problem that small animals, such as hedgehogs, face when exploring gardens is falling into drains or bodies of water such as ponds and pools. It is important to address these hazards if hedgehogs and other wildlife frequent your garden.

Cover up drains or any holes in your garden to prevent animals from falling in and be sure to check them regularly. Smaller bodies of water, like ponds, should have a sloped edge so that they can climb out, and a barrier around them to prevent them from falling in. Finally, pools should be covered at night and any time they’re not in use.

Cut out insect poisons

Many gardeners use products such as slug pellets to prevent their plants from getting eaten, but these can be very harmful to a number of animals, and even domesticated pets. Bugs are also an important part of the ecosystem, so a better way to ensure that no one species takes over a garden is to make it welcoming to a wide range of different insects and animals, creating a thriving, diverse environment.

Choose the right plants

Choosing plants is a very important step in making your garden a wildlife haven, as not all plants are equally useful to local bugs and insects. Bees and ladybugs, for instance, are both attracted to chive flowers, whereas butterflies love lavender and buddleia. Learning what species are local to you and what plants make them happy is an excellent way to care for the wildlife near you.

Build a bug hotel

Building a bug hotel is a great way to allow insects to thrive in your garden, whilst also allowing you to put garden waste to good use. These small structures are made from easily-sourced materials, such as old wooden pellets and terracotta pots, and are full of cubbies and hidey holes that allows bugs to use it as a shelter year-round. A well-made shelter is sure to attract plenty of local critters, which will contribute greatly to the health of your garden.

Mulberry Homes has live developments across East Anglia, East Midlands, South East and West Midlands. Find out more at mulberryhomes.co.uk.