Welcome wildlife into your garden

By Ben, Tiggywinkles’ Gardener

As the gardener here at Tiggywinkles, I’m lucky enough to spend every season surrounded by the plants and wildlife that make our Visitor Centre gardens such a special place. Every day, I see how even small green spaces can become safe havens for British wildlife – and your garden can, too!

If you’re wondering how to support nature at home, summer is the perfect time to start. One of the easiest things you can do is let a corner of your garden grow wild. Long grass, brambles and wildflowers offer food and shelter for insects, small mammals, and birds. At Tiggywinkles, we leave areas undisturbed for this very reason.

A log pile, bug hotel, or compost heap can be a five-star retreat for beetles, frogs, and hedgehogs. If you’re able to create a small pond – even just a shallow water-filled container – you’ll be surprised by how quickly wildlife finds it. Add a ramp or stones so creatures can get in and out safely.

Birds benefit from seed feeders and birdbaths, but don’t forget about our prickly friends! If you have a garden fence, cut a small hole at the base (around 13cm square) to make a ‘hedgehog highway’ so they can travel safely between gardens.

And please, skip the pesticides – they harm far more than pests. Nature has its own pest control if we give it a chance.

By making your garden a little wilder, you’re giving wildlife a helping hand and enjoying the beauty that nature brings. I hope our Tiggywinkles gardens inspire you to do the same at home. Come and visit us – Our Visitor Centre is open 7 days a week, 10am-4pm throughout the summer, and Thursday to Monday in the winter.

Happy gardening!