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Believe it or not, modern gardens are among the most diverse places in the modern world for nature to thrive – especially outside of tropical regions.The reason for this has to do with the sheer variety of species. Where else can you see rhododendrons parked up next to a taxus baccata hedge?
What’s more, the greater the diversity of creatures in your garden, the more “alive” and vibrant it feels.
In this post, we take a look at some of the simple methods any gardener can use to increase biodiversity on their land.Here are some ideas:
Hang A Bird Feeder
Life tends to go to places where food is most abundant. That’s why tropical rainforests are such dense ecologies. The amount of food just randomly growing on trees and crawling across the ground is enormous.
Hanging a bird feeder from your trees helps to encourage more birds to your garden. In turn, you’ll also wind up with more insects and increase the number of species that visit regularly.
Grow A Hedge
The second thing you’ll need to do is grow a hedge.
Believe it or not, hedgerows are among the greatest cultivators of biodiversity in your garden. These interesting shrubs provide shelter for multiple species, including birds and burrowing animals. What’s more, they also tend to attract large insect and worm populations, which helps to broaden the lower end of the food pyramid in your garden.
Allow Part Of Your Garden To Grow Wild
Most gardeners only plant a narrow variety of shrubs and flowers in their gardens, and the vast majority are domesticated cultivars, meaning that they don’t exist in the wild.
And while that’s not a problem in itself, it does mean that the average garden is considerably less biodiverse than it could be.
Now, though, a large number of gardeners are experimenting with wildflowers by leaving patches of their beds and lawns to grow as nature intends.
These areas tend to produce the most wonderful variety of plants. And you never quite know what you’re going to get.
If you don’t want to give up a patch of your garden, then just find a secluded spot and create a pile of deadwood. The feature will naturally attract insects in the local area which will, in turn, draw in even larger creatures.
Create A Pond
If you’ve already got a bird feeder and a hedge, what else can you do to draw animals into your garden?
Well, if you want to attract frogs and newts, then creating a natural pond can be a great way to do it. Ponds open your garden up to a whole new world of aquatic life, plus new types of insects you wouldn’t normally see, such as dragonflies.
Ponds also allow you to grow new plants, such as lilies and cultivate new underwater plants.
Plant More Trees
Lastly, if you want to see more species in your garden, try planting more trees. Great tree species include elm, beech, and crab apple trees.
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