Member Article

Top tips for a winter wildlife friendly garden

New homeowners in the North West are being encouraged to give nature a home in their garden this Winter, following the launch of a partnership between five star housebuilder David Wilson Homes (DWH) and the RSPB.

DWH North West and sister company, Barratt Homes, have teamed up with the conservation charity to give customers five top tips on how they can keep their garden wildlife friendly to encourage them to do their bit for nature – even during the winter months.

The cool tips and tricks on what to do as the seasons change are fun for all of the family and have been carefully selected to fit around a small budget and a time frame of less than two hours:

1. Open up your very own bird café

A fantastic way for new homeowners to invite wildlife into their garden is by opening up a bird café to attract all kinds of colourful feathered friends. You can do this easily by investing in a bird feeder or a roofed bird table and getting a mixture of seeds, fruits, nuts and oats to put in them. Different types of birds prefer different types of food, so if you’re looking to have variety in your garden, be sure to pick up an assortment of bird food. Other than topping up the bird feed when it’s empty and making sure you clean your feeders often, you can sit back, relax and enjoy your very own wildlife show in the comfort of your garden.

2. Make a butterfly banquet from your leftovers

Autumn butterflies like red admirals, painted ladies and comma butterflies require sugary treats every so often this season so homeowners can help them feast by putting mushy bananas in a sheltered chest high place in their garden for them to enjoy. This top tip requires little effort and is perfect for homeowners looking to add an extra splash of colour to their new garden. As the mashed up banana ferments, the stunning butterflies should pay you a visit and whilst they are enjoying their treat they can stay in your garden for hours on end.

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3. Create a safe hideaway by building a wildlife hotel

As the colder weather draws in, more ambitious homeowners might want to try building a safe hideaway for bugs and creepy crawlies to live in. Build a stable structure out of a couple of old wooden pallets. Using plant pots, straw, old roof tiles, sticks and logs, you can provide many different holes, spaces, tunnels and cosy beds for all types of wildlife to climb into to keep them safe.

4. Support Remembrance Day and give bees a banquet by sowing a poppy patch

Here, new homeowners can show their support for Remembrance Day whilst giving bee’s a banquet and providing a dense cover for other creatures by sowing a poppy patch. By having striking poppies in your new garden, not only will you impress your new neighbours with your attractive new display, but you’ll be providing a feeding ground for bees that’s sure to be popular with all wildlife around you. The RSPB recommends sowing your seeds in either autumn or spring for the best results.

5. Create a hedgehog highway and connect with your neighbours

Autumn and early Winter is a busy time of year for a lot of wildlife as they prepare for the cooler months, and hedgehogs are no exception as they start planning for hibernation. By creating a hedgehog highway and making a safe ‘corridor’ in your fence for the little critters to move through, it’s a great way to connect with your neighbours and give nature a home at the same time. The hole in the fence will help to protect the hedgehogs, which walk up to a mile a night, from other animals and help them find the perfect spot to hibernate.

DWH North West Sales Director, Steve Jackson, said: “Our partnership with the RSPB is important to help demonstrate how we can protect and enhance the biodiversity of the local area, benefitting our customers and the wildlife around our developments.”

DWH North West was proud to announce their partnership with the RSPB earlier this year.

With 60% of plants and animals facing decline and as the country’s urban wildlife struggles, the partnership between the major housebuilders and the conservation charity will help to give nature a home in new build developments.

The partnership will also see the housebuilder working with the RSPB to raise employee awareness of wildlife-friendly best practice across its sites on a national level.

Adrian Thomas, the RSPB’s wildlife gardening expert, said: “There is a greater recognition these days that Britain’s gardens can be a haven for wildlife - all it takes is a bit of know-how. Given that wildlife is struggling, it is such a rewarding thing to do, and can bring us all huge pleasure, too.”

DWH North West is currently building homes across Cheshire, including Bollin Park, Wilmslow, Haddington park, Tarporley, Meadow View, Crewe and Charlotte’s Place and Winnington Village, Northwich.

To find out more information about the developments, please go to: www.dwh.co.uk. Or call the sales team on 0844 8113366

For more information about any of these top tips or to become a member, please visit the RSPB website http://www.rspb.org.uk/

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Corey Kitchener .