Attract Wildlife Into Your Garden
The smallest of outside spaces can attract a wide variety of different wildlife species, you don't need to have a garden at all as even a balcony or window sill can provide a feeding station or shelter.  Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your garden however large or small.
Make a water feature
Even the smallest amount of water can attract wildlife such as dragonflies and if you have enough room for a small pond, even an old sink will do, you could attract frogs, toads or newts too who will in turn help to control the bugs in your garden.  Remember to create a shallow area so that any animals visiting for a drink, such as hedgehogs, can get out of the water if they need to.
Don't be too tidy
We all like to have a neat garden but leaving some plants to go to seed will help encourage wildlife, pampas grass heads are great for nest building too.  A log pile left undisturbed in a corner will be a haven for all sorts of creatures such as hedgehogs and slow worms who will also help to control the slug and snail population.
Avoid using chemicals in the garden
Try to find wildlife friendly alternatives to do the job instead, for instance Marigolds planted in your vegetable plot will attract ladybirds and other predators which will in turn eat aphids, this is called companion planting.  Spraying your plants to kill the aphids will kill the ladybirds too, your aphids will be back much quicker than the ladybirds will!  Slugs and snails will attract birds and other wildlife to your garden to feed but if the meal has eaten slug pellets the bird can suffer too.  Try to create a natural balance in your garden and let nature do some of the work for you.
Make your own compost
Using peat free products is best as peat extraction is damaging to natural habitats, why not make your own compost from kitchen and garden waste or you could even have your own wormery.  If you have your own garden hens then you have lots of help to make great compost as your hens droppings help to speed up with composting process so make sure you use it!
Choose Plants To Attract Wildlife
There are a wide variety of plants that you can use to attract wildlife into your garden, native species are best as they are more suited to the British weather and more resistant to pests and diseases than some more exotic species. A well landscaped attractive garden could increase the value of your property, something to consider if you are looking at mortgages,  that's why everyone should take gardening as it has many benefits not just for wildlife but for you too. Plants with berries, seeds and fruits are particularly attractive to birds, nectar and pollen will attract bees butterflies and other insects and all types of plants and trees will provide homes and shelter for wildlife.  If you don't have a lot of space plants can be grown in pots or climbers can be grown up walls to attract wildlife into your outside space, here are some useful plant suggestions:

Plants for nectar and seeds:

• Lavender - flowers attract bees, the seeds are enjoyed by finches and it smells great!
• Buddleia - known as the butterfly bush will attract a wide variety of butterflies as well as bees and other insects which in turn will attract the birds.
• Marigold - good for companion planting with vegetables, the nectar attracts insects.
• Ivy - its flowers provide nectar for insects and birds love the berries, it is also a good shelter.
• Honeysuckle - great scent, the nectar attracts insects as well as birds and its berries also provide a food source.
• Primrose - the spring flowers provide nectar, the seeds are attractive to finches.
• Dog Rose - the hips are enjoyed by finches in particular.
• Bramble - good for nesting and the fruits and seeds are very attractive to birds.
• Forget Me Not - finches like the seeds.
• Michaelmas Daisy - hoverflies and butterflies like the flowers.

Plants and trees for berries and fruits:

• Holly - berries for birds, also attracts butterflies and great for decoration at Christmas!
• Cotoneaster - a good source of berries also provides good cover.
• Viburnum - attractive white flowers and berries for the birds.
• Pyracanthus - a thorny shrub that provides good cover for nesting, also has flowers that attract insects and berries for the birds.
• Cherry - the blossom attracts insects and birds will eat the fruits.
• Crab Apple - attractive to both insects and birds with blossom and fruits.
• Rowan - a very decorative tree the red berried variety is best.
• Beech - produces nuts attractive to a variety of birds including woodpeckers.
• Yew - its fruits are enjoyed by thrushes in particular.
• Hawthorn - has white flowers and produces berries, it is thorny so also good for cover.
• Berberis - provides good cover, the evergreen variety berberis darwinii has attractive orange flowers and dark berries which birds love.
• Whitebeam - an attractive small tree with white flowers producing red berries.

Bird feeding tips
Feeding the birds is a very popular pastime, it is something that can be enjoyed all year round by people of all ages.  Providing the right bird food is important as different species of wild birds prefer different types of food so if you put out a variety of bird food you will attract more types of wild birds info your garden. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your garden birds.
Quality Bird Food - make sure that the wild bird food you are using is safe and nutritious as some foods, particularly poor quality peanuts, may contain toxins that are harmful and can even kill birds.  If the birds don't like your food they will go somewhere else to feed!
Position - make sure bird food is not put out in an exposed area, nearby cover such as bushes or trees will provide protection from predators.  If a site is too exposed birds may feel unsafe be less likely to visit, however ground feeding birds do need to be in a more open area away from places a cat could be hiding.  Hanging feeders will attract a wide variety of birds and will also provide a safe feeding station out of reach of cats.  If you have squirrels in your garden you may need to hang feeders on a long chain or use squirrel proof bird feeder.  We have a great range of squirrel proof bird feeders for you to choose from.
Provide Water - birds need water for drinking and bathing, a shallow dish of fresh water is all that is needed, remember to think about predators too when positioning a bird bath.  If you have a pond or water feature birds and other animals may use it instead so make sure that there is a shallow area to help them to safely get in and out.
Keep it clean - hygiene is very important, clean bird feeders and bird tables regularly and remove any old or uneaten bird food to avoid spreading diseases between your garden visitors.  Try not to put too much food out at once as leftovers may attract rodents to your bird feeding area. 
Feed the birds all year round - if you stop feeding the birds they may stop visiting you so it is best to keep feeding your garden birds all year round.  There are a wide variety of bird feeders available, you don't need much space to encourage the birds to visit you, if don't have much outdoor space try a window or wall bird feeder.
Put up nest boxes - encourage wildlife to stay in your garden and not just visit you for food, there are all kinds of nest boxes available for lots of different types of wildlife not just birds.