Wild About Gardens

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 by Natalie Rogers,

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust have launched a new award scheme to find out how wildlife friendly Hampshire’s gardens are. So if you have a wildlife friendly garden, the Trust would like to hear from you.

Our gardens are extremely important for wildlife, not only can they provide food and shelter for a huge range of plants and animals, but they can form a natural "bridge" between built up and open areas which allow wildlife to move between them relatively easily. Gardens can also provide particular habitats that may be missing in your local area such as ponds and suitable hibernation or nesting sites. Even a small garden or window box can make a real difference for local wildlife and there are lots of simple things you can do in your garden to make it more wildlife friendly. You can plant some nectar rich wildflowers, create a compost heap, put up some bird feeders or build a pond.

Since the launch of the scheme, 110 awards have been sent out. The scheme has captured the interest of a range of different groups including residents, schools, a garden centre and even a railway station. The winning gardens each month are featured on our wildlife friendly award winner webpage.
Do you have a wildlife friendly garden?

If you think your garden might be a haven for local wildlife, have a look at our wildlife friendly checklist below and see if you qualify for your award plaque and certificate. All you need is 10 features in total, with 2 from each of the categories; food, water, shelter, sustainability.

Wildlife friendly garden checklist:

• Food: Bird feeding station, nectar rich plants for bees and butterflies, thistle or teasel for seed eating birds, night time nectar sources for moths, shrubs and bushes with berries, herb garden.
• Water: Wildlife pond, bird bath, water butt, boggy area.
• Shelter: Bird nest box, log pile, hedgehog box, native hedge, mini wildflower meadow, unmown area of long grass.
• Sustainability: Compost heap or bin, wildlife friendly pest control, using a watering can not a hose, peat-free compost, drought resistant plants, green roof on your shed.

To apply for your award or find out more about each feature and plants that will attract wildlife, please visit the Wildlife Trust’s website www.hwt.org.uk

email wildlifegardening@hwt.org.uk or call 01489 774400.
 
As the social networking site Facebook continues to grow, you can now join Wildlife Trust’s Facebook Group and show your support for the vital conservation work we do. You will find out about our latest events, news stories and volunteer opportunities. If you would like to find out more, why not join up to our Facebook page.

You can find us at: www.facebook.com/HampshireandIsleofWightWildlifeTrust