Owning a beautiful garden is much more than just taking care of plants; you are doing your bit for nature and providing a place for wildlife to feed and thrive. Most of us delight in the sights and sounds of wildlife in our gardens.

However, if you want to encourage creatures into your garden, it is essential to have the right plants. Moreover, the type of plants you grow will depend on what type of wildlife comes into your garden.

Why is it important to attract wildlife to your garden?

There are lots of reasons why attracting wildlife to your garden is important. One of the most obvious is that you will be surrounded by nature and will be able to enjoy observing the various creatures that arrive in your outdoor space.

In addition to this, giving wildlife a place to thrive will mean that local green spaces are kept alive through pollination. Moreover, since the wildlife you are attracting will be further up the food chain than garden pests, you will be better able to control these, keeping your plants safe.

What are the best plants for bees?

There has been a lot of focus on social media in recent years regarding attracting bees and providing them with plants. Many of us will create planting schemes especially designed for this purpose.

Bees love lavender. This is one of the best plants to grow in your garden if you want to attract these beautiful insects. A study has shown that certain varieties of lavender are among the best for attracting bumble bees.

If you’re not a fan of lavender, there are other plants that work well when bringing bees to the garden. Marjoram, pussy willow, lilac and crocus are particularly effective as are foxgloves, bee balm and chives.

What are the best plants for butterflies?

Butterflies require nectar plants that they can feed from and so it is important to have these in your garden. The more of this type of plant that you have, the more often you will see butterflies. Since these insects are incredibly beautiful, they are one of the most popular forms of wildlife to attract to your garden.

While they will enjoy many of the same plants as bees, butterflies will also be attracted to buddleia which is also known as the butterfly bush. They are very fond of verbena and the perennial wallflower too.

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When attracting butterflies, it is also important to think about where you will place your plants as these creatures enjoy being in a sunny spot. However, you should aim to plant somewhere that is also sheltered to provide protection for the butterflies.

Many people assume that butterflies only require plants during the spring. However, this is a common misconception. By growing plants that offer sustenance as autumn approaches, you are giving the butterflies a chance to build up their energy reserves over the winter months.

What are the best plants for birds?

According to the RSPB, the UK is home to almost 600 species of bird; and there is nothing to say that you cannot attract many of these to your garden. However, you must be prepared to grow the right plants and hedging.

While different birds will be attracted to different plants, there are some that are much more widely loved by many species. In the run up to winter, ivy is great for attracting birds as it also attracts insects which will serve as a meal to our avian friends. During the winter months, holly hedging will provide an excellent food source for birds such as the redwing and the song thrush.

For smaller gardens, there is still the possibility of growing several plants that attract birds. Sunflowers can be grown in a pot and their seeds will bring in many different species of bird. Another great option is honeysuckle which is a climbing plant and so is excellent for tight spaces.

One of the best ways to bring more birds to your garden is by using plants that bear berries. We have already mentioned holly but many other plants are just as effective including the guelder rose, cotoneaster and rowan. Many gardeners also find success in planting crab apples which blackbirds are particularly fond of.

Shopping for the best plants for wildlife

By attracting wildlife to your garden, you’ll add so much interest, be doing your bit to protect natures, and of course you’ll get so much enjoyment from watching the wildlife in your own little world. However, these aren’t the only advantages and you will be giving back to your local area as well as helping to control the pest population.

Different types of wildlife require different plants so whether it is birds, bees or butterflies that you would like to get a visit from, there are a multitude of options. Visit our plants for sale pages and plan your new wildlife friendly planting scheme today.