No garden is an island

My garden is tiny. It’s surrounded by high fences, the lawn has long since given up trying. When I stand in the middle, I can almost touch both sides. And yet… when I dug a pond, the frogs appeared. I had a crafty plan to ‘borrow’ some from the local pond (don’t do that at home, kids), but I didn’t need to. The frogs came, the dragonflies came. We even found a newt.

My garden is not an island, and nor is yours. Nearly 90% of UK households have some kind of outside space. That’s an area of land four times bigger than our national nature reserves. Your garden is part of a patchwork that nature relies on. A few berries in this garden, some nectar in that garden, somewhere to hide next door. Birds and bugs and beetles don’t care about fences. If you provide for them, they will come.

Luckily, wildlife likes the same things we do – beautiful flowers, rustling leaves, shiny berries. So plant some bulbs, to feed those early-waking bees. Put in a shrub where the birds can perch. You don’t need massive space to make a massive difference. Your garden gives you power.

If you’re not sure where to start, Rose Orlik Garden Design specialises in wildlife gardens. We can advise you on small changes (or big ones) to bring in wildlife, harvest rainwater and plant for climate change. Get in touch to find out more.

February 2025