Welcome wildlife this Winter

It’s that time of year again! We’re preparing our gardens (and ourselves) for the colder months ahead. When thinking about our gardens, it’s good to think about how we can help our local wildlife when they pass through our Winter gardens.

Birds:

• Place seed in wire cages rather than plastic nets to avoid birds such as woodpeckers getting their tongues caught
• Put out finely chopped bacon rind and grated cheese for smaller birds
• Scatter over-ripe apples and raisins for thrushes and blackbirds
• Put out a variety of feeds to encourage a range of birds, peanut cakes for starlings, insect cakes for tits, and berry cakes for finches
• Ensure bird baths/drinkers aren’t frozen over

Other wildlife:

• Create a hole in any iced-over ponds by placing a pan with hot water over it until it melts (cracking the ice can send harmful shockwaves through the water)
• Take care when turning compost heaps as they can be a source of warmth for frogs, toads, and other animals
• Place an insect hotel in a sheltered position to welcome ladybirds
• Check bonfires before they’re lit for sheltering animals such as hedgehogs, toads, and frogs
• Leave a shallow dish filled with water at ground level to benefit other wildlife as well as birds

All of the above will contribute significantly to a more comfortable Winter for our local wildlife.

Contact your local branch to book today - click here.

Source: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=382