Gardens have become such an integral part of the British landscape that it is now estimated that over 4000 square miles of the UK are regularly weeded, mown or dug up by thousands of house-owners. That’s a lot of land! The importance of our gardening activities on the natural environment has now been recognised when a new initiative in Scotland, Garden for Life, was launched in 2001. This initiative aims to raise the awareness of the wildlife value of gardens and environmentally sustainable gardening practices in order to encourage positive action to garden for the benefit of Scotland’s native wildlife and ourselves. the National Trust for Scotland is a leading partner in this initiative and we are currently involved on a number of projects. This includes research into peat alternatives, wildlife surveys in gardens and environmental audits of our gardening activities. For more information, contact Lindsay Mackinlay, Nature Conservation Advisor – west and south, at lmackinlay@nts.org.uk

10 Easy Tips for increasing wildlife in your garden and greening your gardening practices!

• Plant flowers which produce nectar and pollen and try to ensure that such flowers are available from late March through to September – queen bumblebees need nectar-rich flowers in late March when they emerge after winter so this a critical time for them. Ask your Garden Centre or local NTS Garden for ideas.
• Create a log or stone pile in a shady place – excellent for hibernating creatures, such as toads, and great as cover for nocturnal predators such as ground and rove beetles.
• Leave a small area of grass to grow long throughout the summer and cut back to a few inches high in winter (or leave long) – this will be excellent shelter for many species of beetle, natural predators of many garden pests. Why not also plant some wildflower plugs in this area to bring colour to the mini-meadow.
• Have a water feature, be it a small pond, a water-filled pot or a bird bath. Make sure that creatures can get out of it as well as into it!
• Put up a bird box and bird feeders away from the cats. While you’re at it, why not put a collar with a bell on your cat and give the birds a better chance.
• Don’t use peat
• Think twice before using standard slug pellets – can you use wildlife-friendly pellets or more traditional methods, such as beer traps, which won’t be as lethal to other wildlife?
• Build a compost – recycling your garden waste not only provides a home for wildlife but also saves you money!
• Mulch it – this reduces the need for watering and feeding both plants and soil.
• Encourage birds and beneficial insects into your garden by planting berrying shrubs and evergreens which supply food and good cover.