Making your garden or balcony beautifully biodiverse
Biodiversity is crucial to all our lives. The more diversity in our natural habitats, the stronger our ecosystem and cleaner our air will be, and the more insects, birds and other animals will have places to call home.
All creatures have their own job to help ecosystems to thrive, even some creatures that you may not think have a job to do might be helping reduce pests or pollinate plants.
For example, ladybirds are crucial to our ecosystem, as they keep our gardens free of destructive aphids and other insects that eat our plants and crops.
A biodiverse garden is filled to the brim with life, featuring an abundance of different plant species and attracting a variety of wildlife.
No matter the size of your garden, whether it’s a window box in a flat, or a sizable family garden, any space can be a haven for insects, birds and other animals.
So why not use the outdoor space you have, to create a lush, healthy area that the whole environment can benefit from?
Here are some ideas to make your garden, or balcony more biodiverse:
Go wild with it
When it comes to a biodiverse garden, a bit of organised chaos can only be good. In the wild, an untidy landscape is a healthy one, and this is exactly what you want to replicate in your garden or balcony. This wildness is excellent for biodiversity and encourages all kinds of life to flourish. By this we mean having a variety of plants, letting things grow and not constantly pruning back to be neat. If you have the space, you could let some of your grass grow a bit longer as that can be an excellent habitat for insects.
You could also turn a patch into a mini wildflower meadow as we did in Great Hollands.
If you love a neat space then just think about variety and look for plants that are great for bees and butterflies. Countryfile has put together a great list of plants that bees and butterflies love.
Go native
Plants native to the UK are excellent choices as they are well adapted to the soil and our climate. There are so many beautiful plants to choose from, with a range of colours, fragrances, shapes and sizes! Choosing some plants that flower and fruit throughout the year is important to attract different wildlife depending on the season.
Grab some plant pots and get digging!
By plant pots, we don’t mean go out and spend money… Many things can be plant pots! Old wellies, old pots from the kitchen and lots of other things could become great plant pots! Just make sure to make a couple of small holes in the bottom so that water can escape, and your plant’s roots won’t rot.
Add some fun extras
A rotten log pile, tucked away from sunlight makes a great home for many insects and fungi, while a piece of corrugated iron laid flat will provide cover for all sorts of animals! On your balcony, small features such as stones and logs create ideal habitats for all kinds of insects. You could even put-up feeding stations, bird boxes or other nesting spaces for animals! There are so many different options, so really have fun with it and create an environment that you love.
Have you got any more ideas for making your garden and balcony more diverse? We’d love to hear them! Fill in the form below to submit your top tips.