Nature Recovery Gardening Pledge

Nature is in decline.  That means there are now much fewer birds, bats, bees, hedgehogs, wildflowers – basically all of those creatures and plants that we love and some that we don’t but which we need for a healthy planet.   But you can help nature recover.  Start in your own outdoor space – whether its a window box, balcony, garden or allotment.  

When it comes to allowing nature to recover – its most important what you don’t do and don’t buy –  so helping nature recover can save you time and money.  

Take action now and pledge to:

• plant as wide a variety of plants as possible and focus on ones that offer food for insects and birds. Herbs, old-fashioned cottage garden perennials, native wildflowers and fruit trees and bushes are best. Avoid double flowers.  Allow some plants to grow which you might think of as ‘weeds’.  They’re often the food that insects need most and remember that insects are the food that birds and bats need most.

• mow less often and keep the blades set higher

• leave the leaves – they are perfect hiding places for tiny creatures. Those you have to sweep up - keep in your garden in a compost area so you don’t lose your over-wintering insects and to make great garden mulch

• garden chemical free - pesticides, herbicides and slug pellets all poison wildlife

• buy plants that haven’t been sprayed/coated with pesticides – ask your local garden centre which plants are grown pesticide-free and if they can’t tell you, politely explain that you will wait until they have some available. In the meantime, plant swap with friends, family and neighbours, find an organic nursery online or grow from seed.

• buy only peat-free compost or plants not grown in peat compost (check labels for contents). Ask your local garden centre to stock peat-free alternatives and to show you which plants are grown in peat free compost.    If they can’t tell you, politely explain that you will wait until they have some available and until then plant swap with friends, family and neighbours, find an organic peat-free nursery online or grow from seed

• only cut hedges outside of bird-nesting season (so not March to August)

• leave dead-heading until new growth appears in spring. Those dead flower heads and stalks provide a home for lots of tiny creatures through winter. If you clear them out you are clearing out this year’s pollinators, butterflies and bird and bat food.

• practice being less tidy! Logs, leaves, twigs, long grass, forgotten corners are great places for wildlife

• provide some water - ponds are great but even smaller water containers will help wildlife

• share and encourage your friends and family to join your mission.