Hello! TJ here from the Gibbons House. Nice to see you again. If you are new here, welcome to the blog!
We all know that nature is struggling, it's no secret. If you're a nature lover like me you've probably noticed the lack of insects and wildlife around.
Don't worry! I won't go into the specifics or the data. That can be depressing and deflating. My goal is to make you feel hopeful about the little changes that you can make, to encourage you to see that no matter the space you have (be it tiny or large) you can can make a difference and give nature a helping hand.
Even those of you with a balcony or even just a window have the power to aid wildlife and help it thrive. You don't have to have a load of spare money or time, these ideas can be made cheaply and quickly or turned into a full project, it is entirely you're choice! The birds won't care if you have the most expensive bird feeders or the budget ones, the bees won't care if you grow the wildflowers from seed or buy some already grown. Either way, enjoy building your natural space, get your children involved or turn it into a mindfulness activity. The best thing is being able to see the bugs and wildlife appreciate your efforts.
I challenge you to take at least one of these ideas and turn it into a reality in your space. If everyone were to implement one suggestion, think of the impact that would make. All it takes is you making one change and telling a friend about it to empower them to do the same. Lets be a part of the domino affect!
If you do take part and do your bit, take a photo and share it with me on social media!
Here are 5 ways you can encourage wildlife into your outdoor space.
Keep reading for more information about each one!
1 . Build a pond
Build a pond? But they are huge and take a load of maintenance, I hear you say.
Wrong! They can in fact be super small, and left to their own devices mostly (cleaning them out will defeat the point of it being a natural ecosystem, but some clearance of plants and algae may be needed). If you want to go all out and build a huge, diverse pond, go for it! That would be super awesome and nature would love you for it.
But all you need is a container of some kind, water, some aquatic plants, and a bit of space. The size of the pond is up to you, you can go for the smallest of containers to fit in the corner of your balcony, something purpose built like molded pond liners or dig and shape your own. Things like old sinks, terracotta plant pots, half barrels and farmer troughs could all work. There are a load of design ideas on Pinterest!
Ponds can provide a water source for birds and bugs as well as create a habitat for water loving creatures. Dragonflies, Damselflies, Water Beetles, Amphibians could be regular visitors or even residents in your pond, as well as grass snakes if its accessible to them. Some birds that eat insects might be encouraged into your garden to hunt around your pond, too. Grey herons can also be regular visitors, even to smaller ponds, to find themselves a meal of fish or frogs.
If you only have a balcony, having animals like frogs and newts visit your pond is almost impossible, but critters like Pond Skaters, Backswimmers, Lesser Water Boatmans are just a few that could visit and live in or near your pond.
You can add fish to your pond so long as it's large enough! Fish can help balance out the ecosystem in a pond, but they can discourage some insects from landing as they might eat them. It's your call! I have fish in my garden pond and I love watching them, it's relaxing.
If you are making your pond for nature alone and not adding fish, you do not need to add any water filtration system or pump. My pond is a wildlife pond but has fish, so I have a solar-powered fountain (found on amazon) that keeps the water oxygenated and moving but without disturbing too much of the natural order.
If you are using tap water to fill your pond, you can get products from places that sell ponds and fish that make the water safe for the fish. You can use rain water to fill up your pond, too!
The best thing about it is you don't need to leave your garden to do some wildlife hunting! You can watch your pond and see what comes and uses it.
2. Bug Hotel
Building a bug hotel is one of my favourite things to do. It's fun, you can be creative and it's aiding nature. You could create a bug mansion or just a mini home, and there are so many ways you can do it! You could even buy one, if you want to do your part but not get messy, there are loads of fun designs online or at your local garden centre. If you have children, get them involved and teach them about insects and why they are important whilst your building it.
Bug hotels can provide homes and food for insects and alike, which in turn keep the world turning. If you grow food, insects pollinate your plants so they can flower and fruit. They can also look cool in your garden or on your balcony. You could even attach a small one to a window-suction cups if you don't have any outdoor space.
You can buy some of the materials or collect everything you need from your local woodland or park.
Good things to add are: Pine cones, twigs, bricks, stones, hollow sticks like bamboo canes, dead leaves, rotting wood, broken terracotta pots.
You want to make sure your bug hotel has a roof, back and sides if possible to prevent it from getting super wet and give the bugs more protection from the elements. Placing the bug home near shrubs, a garden bed or grassy areas is more likely to encourage bugs, but they will still use ones that aren't near foliage! If you have the space, though, some of the bugs in your hotel would love some flowers near by for the pollen!
If you know that you have specific insects in your area, you can personalize your bug hotel to their wants and needs, or you can make it more generic in hopes to attract a wider range of creatures. Larger ones can even encourage hedgehog and bird numbers.
You can use pallets (which can be acquired for dirt cheap if not free from your local industrial estate or businesses) to create larger ones by stacking them and filling the gaps with materials, you can build a super cute house structure and fill that, you can use terracotta pots or you can buy a pre-made one and just enjoy the results without the labour.
As tempted as you may be, don't move bits to check if there are any bugs in your hotel! It might disturb them and prevent them from returning. You can, however, watch your bug hotel closely to see if you spot any bugs entering or leaving or wondering around inside it!
3. Wildflowers
Did you know that some butterflies and other insects will only lay their eggs on certain plants? And that wildflower meadows can, according to the WWF, support up to 100 species of wildflowers and 160 species of insects, which can then provide food for mammals and birds, and then larger mammals and birds of prey and so the list keeps going. Basically, wildflowers are crucial for our Eco-system. And you can grow them in your garden or on your balcony. A small plant pot full, a hanging basket, window boxes or an entire plant bed, whatever you can spare for the wildflowers, do it! They take little to no maintenance, give you a colourful display when in bloom and are crucial for the wildlife in your area.
Wildflowers also have a complex root system, therefore they can reduce flooding in your garden and stabilize the soil they grow in. I don't see any negatives here!? All you need is an open bit of space that gets a fair bit of sunlight. If you get little sunlight, opt more for woodland flowers as they are more likely to flourish.
The best time to sow seeds is Autumn, but you can also plant in Spring. You need the area clear of any weeds or current plants and the soil should NOT be fertilized before hand.
Many garden centres sell wildflower mixes or seed bombs you can use, or you can create your own mixture. Only use UK native seeds!
If you buy a ready to use mix, it might contain Yellow Rattle Seed which is a parasitic plant. That's not a bad thing! It will keep the grass levels low so the flowers have room to thrive.
Keep the seeds well-watered until they are healthy plants, and then water when the soil is bone dry or the flowers have started to droop.
Warning, the birds might try to eat the seeds! You can always put up a bit of netting to protect them until they have germinated.
You can then leave your wildflowers to their own devices, or you can maintain the area (there is plenty of information on how to do this on the WWF website!) so that they flowers come back year after year.
If you plant the seeds in Autumn, you should see your first flowers in Spring!
4. Bird feeders and houses
Majority of people have some form of bird feeder in their garden or on their balcony. You can even get window suction cup feeders now, how cool is that!? They used to use them at the care home I worked at and they were used by a variety of birds daily.
There are poles that stick into the ground that can hold multiple or single feeders and bird tables. There are different types of feeders, too. Some for seeds and designs for meal worms, fat balls and suit sticks. You can make your own DIY bird feeders from a wide range of items, recycling and all that! Different birds have their own preferences, so you could find out what birds are in your area and choose your foods based on that, or you can trial and error it. I did the later, and it was costly! However, even with the research you might still have to figure out what the birds in your area prefer.
The downside to feeding the birds is that the food can be quite pricey if you have a high number of hungry birds! I tend to fill mine more often during winter when their usual food sources are low. Bulk-buying seeds and alike can be a cheaper option, as is buying from farmer stores rather than garden centres, but storing that much seed isn't an option for everyone. There are different seed mixes, and some are more expensive than others.
Feeding the birds can be relaxing to watch. Additionally, it helps birds survive the harsh winters. Bird numbers all over the world are declining, but according to some studies, bird numbers in villages and towns are doing better due to having a constant food supply.
Don't forget to clean the bird feeders regularly to reduce the risk of illnesses spreading.
You can also put up bird houses, and some can be suctioned to windows, though the options for these seem pretty limited. With natural habitats being destroyed and more houses being built, birds are running out of places to build their nests. Bird houses are a great way to offer residence to birds that need it. It helps them find somewhere safe as bird houses are less open to the elements as well as predators. They look cute in the garden or on your balcony, which is an added bonus. You can buy plain or pre-decorated ones, and there are different styles of houses for a variety of birds.
Bird houses only require one bit of maintenance once a year after the family has left (make sure they have fully left and they aren't still returning), at which point you should empty the box and clean it. You can either use boiling water or a white vinegar and water solution. Make sure you rinse the box thoroughly and let it dry fully!
Bird feeders and houses both are best placed near trees or hedging, but if you don't have either, that's fine! The likelihood is they will still be used. Neither take up much space and yet can be rewarding for both you and nature. I love watching the birds and I get excited every time I see a different species in the garden!
5. Grow Herbs
Herbs are a tasty addition to any outdoor space. If you are short on ground space, you can grow them on a vertical stand like a ladder or purpose built frame. Even along the railing of the balcony would work as you can get hanging plant pots!
Not only can you use them in your cooking and baking, the insects love it when they flower. Flowering herbs normally mean that they have lost most of their taste and are focussing on seeding, but it doesn't mean you have to cut them back just yet. Let the insects have their fill first!
Some herbs can reduce pest flies due to their strong aromas.
A variety of herbs you could plant are Rosemary, Thyme, Lavender (not all lavender is edible), Fennel, Sage and Borage. You can buy the seeds and grow them yourself or most garden centres will sell established plants, as do some supermarkets! If you have the space to, growing the herbs in the same container (bar Fennel, it doesn't get on with other plants) can create a small Eco-system and provide shelter for other critters too. Herbs can be grown in the ground, in plant pots, containers or raised beds. There is no limit for them, really, other than most of them need a good amount of sunlight to thrive.
I hope these ideas have empowered you to add at least one to your outdoor space, no matter the size of it. Helping nature can boost your mental health alongside all of the benefits it provides for the wildlife.
If you do make any of these changes, send me photos on social media! I would love to see your additions!
Connect with me on social media, I always love to chat!
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