My Wild Garden

Cover Image by Tom Marshall.

Wildl ife decline is in

but together we ca n make a d ifference

The natural world is under threat, becoming fragmented and leaving wildlife isolated to only a handful of wild spaces. Nature reserves alone cannot meet the needs of wildlife or our communities. In order for nature to thrive, we need it to be bigger, better, and more joined up.

Image by Tom Marshall

READY, STEADY, GROW

To achieve that, we also need to protect and improve the many other places where wildlife lives – like gardens and parks – creating a Nature Recovery Network that ensures these areas are linked up, allowing wildlife to safely move across the landscape.

If we have more people choosing wild gardens, planting native wildflowers rather than spreading cement and laying hedges instead of installing fences; not only will we be better protected against the impacts of climate change, we will also be helping nature to recover.

These small changes add up to create a big impact for wildlife across our region and the UK as a whole. They also benefit local communities by putting wildlife right on our doorsteps, giving everyone the opportunity to experience the joy of wildlife every day. Click

The power to make a difference is in all our hands. Let’s take action together – join the wildlife gardening revolution today.

Supplementing the natural supply of food year-round will ensure garden birds, like goldfinches and blue tits, have plenty of options for maintaining their energy.

Speak with your neighbour about cutting a small hole in the bottom of your fence. These ‘hedgehog highways’ will help hogs to roam around.

Wildflowers will attract important pollinators into your garden, which will, in turn, attract birds, bats, and small mammals looking for a meal. These can be planted in raised beds, borders, containers, or window boxes – any space will do!

Feeding the birds brings great joy and can help them survive when times are tough. Plus, when you stock up at Vine House Farm, 4% of sales are donated back to The Wildlife Trust.

A source of fresh water - even just a shallow dishwill ensure local wildlife has a safe place to drink and bathe, whilst a pond will allow frogs, toads, and newts to flourish.

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What type of gar den do you have?

60%+ Green

20%+ Green

Less than 10% Green

urban oasis wild at heart potted Champions

shaded garden?

Cemented patio or driveway? space to install a bird feeder? a lot of light?

Driveway with permeable surface (Such as resin)

live in a flat/no green space? or or or

Tips & hints for a wilder garden

Leave a wild patch in your garden. Let nettles, thistles, holly and ivy grow for butterflies to lay their eggs on.

Why not plant some wildflower seeds, or create a mini pond to give the birds a drink during hot weather?

Replacing hard surfaces with green space allows water to seep into the ground and reduce flooding. But if you can’t change your driveway or patio, try planting some potted herbs.

Already reducing water runoff? What about making your own compost? Local councils usually offer discounts on bins, but with a few pallets, a hammer and nails you can do it in an afternoon. Just make a lid and build it on top of soil.

Even if you don’t have space for a bird table, hanging a bird feeder from your wall or fence will attract robins, starlings, and house sparrows. Try to place it somewhere you can watch the birds from your window.

Talk to your neighbours to organise a clean-up or go out to identify wildlife. Make sure you record your sightings and submit them to your local record centre.

Images by Paul Harris/2020VISION

CASE STUDY:

“I started creating The Cloud Garden in March 2020, during the first lockdown, as a way to bring nature to me. What started as one marigold has now grown into what you see today - 18 stories up in Manchester’s City Centre, The Cloud Garden helps to support urban wildlife, biodiversity, and my mental health.

I quickly realised that wildflowers, plants that people generally think of as weedsand other flowering plants really thrived in this space and I started to notice the ecosystem I was creating.

Hoverflies are my main pollinators and I’ve built a container pond and some rockpools to provide a source of water for them and the other insects that visit the garden including bumble bees and moths - The Cloud Garden even has its own worm population!

Follow The GardenerCloud UK on social media and visit The Cloud Gardener UK website to find out more.

Not only do hoverflies help pollinate The Cloud Garden, they also help to keep the aphids under control so we do have a real delicate balance here.

I think more people should garden for wildlife in whatever space they have, especially in our cities. Even a few container pots or a window box planted with herbs or flowers can make a huge difference and I hope to be able to inspire a new generation of urban gardeners through The Cloud Gardener UK project.”

MyWildCity

The My Wild City project, based in Manchester, is a collaboration between The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside and Manchester City Council, funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

Our vision is to create a naturerich city that puts wildlife right on our doorsteps, giving everyone the opportunity to experience the joy of wildlife every day.

Some of our project highlights include:

– Co-producing the new Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Manchester with support from Manchester City Council and the Manchester Biodiversity Action Group.

– Working with Greater Manchester Ecology Unit to create a Nature Recovery Network map of the city.

– Our targeted Nature Recovery work in North Manchester, funded by Cadent Foundation.

– Nearly 2,000 people pledging to transform their space for wildlife.

Click here to find out more.

Image by Ellie Sherlock

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Below are a few examples of how you can get involved. to get wild... more w

Become a volunteer

Go Peat-Free

Making sure you only buy peat-free compost is an amazing step that you can take to help support our environment and fight climate change.

We rely on volunteers to help us carry out the vast majority of our vital work. Whether you join us as a practical volunteer on one of our reserves, or support one of our office-based roles, you will be directly contributing to nature’s recovery in our region.

Join as a member

Campaign for a Wilder Future

Discover our latest campaigns and find out how you can get involved. Together, we can take a stand for nature.

Record local wildlife

Recording wildlife is not only a great way to find out more about the plants, animals, and fungi living on your doorstep. It’s also vital for nature conservation. Helping organisations, like The Wildlife Trust, to better understand how wildlife is faring across the region.

The support of our members makes it possible for us to restore our precious peatlands, create well-connected areas for wildlife and empower communities to connect with local environments improving their physical health and mental wellbeing. Help us to protect the wildlife you love. Join us as a member today.