Anyone with experience keeping a garden, or a passion for the local UK wildlife, will be well versed in the sparse nature of the environment each time winter rolls around. Around half of the bird population has migrated for the winter, mainly to southern France and coastal Africa. The colourful collection of ground mammals we're subject to over the summer are similarly absent. Some are hibernating to survive the cold, and many more are simply inactive and sheltered. These creatures rely on the insects, leaves and berries our gardens contain, which sustain and home them. Yet in winter most trees are dormant, absent of leaves and fruit. There's little shelter and little nutrition for the local wildlife, and little reason to visit your property.
With a little informed structuring, considerate planting and sensible investment it's easy to transform your garden into an organic winter wonderland, creating a desirable home for any creatures seeking a warm home and filling meal.
Hedging is a long time standby for helping lure wildlife onto your property, and with good reason. It's been a feature of farmland borders for centuries, and now 80 per cent of our woodland birds have been known to nest in it, along with an entire host of mammals, particularly squirrels, hedgehogs and badgers. Most gardeners invest in an evergreen hedge, since it will provide screening and shelter throughout the entire year. Having one in your garden drastically increases the quality of your garden as an animal habitat, particularly if you find one with a wide base.
As I mentioned above, one of the reasons so many animals are migrating and hibernating is the severe scarcity of natural food supplies. The usual advice here is to hang out a feeder in your garden with suet and oily sunflower seeds for the birds, along with sliced apple and lettuce in a bowl in the garden though avoid this unless you have some other form of protection against pests. An ash border will deter slugs and snails, for instance.
A select number of trees and plants yield winter fruit, and these make for an unmatched addition to the garden for anyone looking to provide winter wildlife with a reason to stay. To start out consider planting a holly tree. Their berries appear in early winter, and even though they're mildly toxic to humans the fruit is edible and appreciated by many animals. Birds will happily eat the berries from the branches and will come from far afield to locate them. Similarly, planting a crabapple tree is a great way to sustain ground animals. They produce fruit in autumn, usually unpalatable to humans until it's processed, sweetened or cooked. These apples will begin to fall around the winter time, leaving plenty of accessible food for any nearby animals.
