How to Create a Wildlife-friendly Garden in Autumn
As high summer mellows into autumn, here are a few jobs you can do to turn your garden into a wildlife haven
As the season of wood smoke and misty mornings approaches, it’s time to think about the wild creatures in your garden and make sure they’re happy and well looked after. Here are a few ways you can keep your garden as open and friendly a habitat as possible, and accommodate a wide range of little creatures this autumn.
Expert advice from: Jamie Wyver, spokesperson for the RSPB; Paul Cook, curator of RHS Garden Harlow Carr; Darryl Cox, senior science and policy officer at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust
More in this series: How to Create a Wildlife-friendly Garden in Winter | How to Create a Wildlife-friendly Garden in Spring | How to Create a Wildlife-friendly Garden in Summer
Expert advice from: Jamie Wyver, spokesperson for the RSPB; Paul Cook, curator of RHS Garden Harlow Carr; Darryl Cox, senior science and policy officer at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust
More in this series: How to Create a Wildlife-friendly Garden in Winter | How to Create a Wildlife-friendly Garden in Spring | How to Create a Wildlife-friendly Garden in Summer
Put away the secateurs
“Don’t be in a rush to clear away dead stems and seedheads in the autumn,” Paul Cook says. “These shelter insects and the seeds provide food for birds to stock up on before the winter hits.”
Many seedheads are beautifully decorative, too, and will add structure and interest to your garden when summer foliage has faded away, so leave them in place and enjoy their aesthetic value as much as their wildlife credentials.
“Don’t be in a rush to clear away dead stems and seedheads in the autumn,” Paul Cook says. “These shelter insects and the seeds provide food for birds to stock up on before the winter hits.”
Many seedheads are beautifully decorative, too, and will add structure and interest to your garden when summer foliage has faded away, so leave them in place and enjoy their aesthetic value as much as their wildlife credentials.
Plan next year’s flowers
“This is a great time for planting new wildlife-friendly perennials for next year, and to sow wildflower seeds, too,” Darryl Cox says. “Annuals sown in the autumn tend to flower earlier the following year.”
Darryl recommends using the Bee kind online tool for finding bee-friendly planting recommendations.
Need some garden advice? Easily find and hire garden designers on Houzz.
“This is a great time for planting new wildlife-friendly perennials for next year, and to sow wildflower seeds, too,” Darryl Cox says. “Annuals sown in the autumn tend to flower earlier the following year.”
Darryl recommends using the Bee kind online tool for finding bee-friendly planting recommendations.
Need some garden advice? Easily find and hire garden designers on Houzz.
Leave out a woodpile
“If you have the space, keep a pile of logs stacked in a quiet corner,” Jamie suggests. “This is the perfect home for a variety of animals, including hedgehogs and frogs.”
Make sure it’s a clearly separate pile to your firewood supply, though, as once insects and small mammals set up camp in the log pile, you won’t want to accidentally disturb them. It needs to be a clearly marked insect environment. Tuck it away somewhere quiet where it won’t be disturbed and allow it to quietly settle.
“If you have the space, keep a pile of logs stacked in a quiet corner,” Jamie suggests. “This is the perfect home for a variety of animals, including hedgehogs and frogs.”
Make sure it’s a clearly separate pile to your firewood supply, though, as once insects and small mammals set up camp in the log pile, you won’t want to accidentally disturb them. It needs to be a clearly marked insect environment. Tuck it away somewhere quiet where it won’t be disturbed and allow it to quietly settle.
Be bonfire safe
Autumn is bonfire season, which is fun for humans, but potentially disastrous for small, hibernating animals.
“Take care when you’re making bonfires, as hedgehogs and other small animals may have snuggled down inside the piles of leaves and sticks you want to burn,” Jamie says. “The best way to keep them safe is to construct your fire just before you light it.”
Autumn is bonfire season, which is fun for humans, but potentially disastrous for small, hibernating animals.
“Take care when you’re making bonfires, as hedgehogs and other small animals may have snuggled down inside the piles of leaves and sticks you want to burn,” Jamie says. “The best way to keep them safe is to construct your fire just before you light it.”
Build a hedgehog highway
“Make sure hedgehogs can get into your garden,” Jamie says. “Agree a ‘hedgehog highway’ with your neighbours, making gaps at the bottom of fences so the prickly little characters can pass through.”
“Make sure hedgehogs can get into your garden,” Jamie says. “Agree a ‘hedgehog highway’ with your neighbours, making gaps at the bottom of fences so the prickly little characters can pass through.”
Provide autumn nectar for butterflies
“It’s a good idea to plant for autumn nectar,” Paul says. “Late-flying butterflies need a food source, so late-flowering perennials, such as Leucanthemella serotina, a tall white daisy that flowers at the first frosts; Michaelmas daisies, and herbaceous sedum are perfect for providing late flower colour in the garden and food for butterflies.”
Tell us…
Have you created a wildlife-friendly garden for autumn? Let us know in the Comments.
“It’s a good idea to plant for autumn nectar,” Paul says. “Late-flying butterflies need a food source, so late-flowering perennials, such as Leucanthemella serotina, a tall white daisy that flowers at the first frosts; Michaelmas daisies, and herbaceous sedum are perfect for providing late flower colour in the garden and food for butterflies.”
Tell us…
Have you created a wildlife-friendly garden for autumn? Let us know in the Comments.
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“In late autumn, ivy is a real lifeline for nature, as it’s one of the last plants to flower, giving bees and other insects a supply of pollen and nectar,” Jamie Wyver says.
“The shiny black berries that follow will be a feast for birds, so if you need to cut your ivy back, leave it as late as you can, and make sure there’s some left over for birds to shelter in during the winter.”