Almost any garden has the potential to become a haven for local wildlife within just a few months, says Gardening Which?.
According to the consumer watchdog, a wildlife garden doesn't require a meadow-like amount of space or a major re-design and even small changes to small gardens, such as a log pile or a little pond, will encourage different species to pay a visit.
Native plants, from bluebells to hawthorn, can be incorporated into any garden and the beauty of a wildlife garden is that it doesn't need a lot of tending - in fact it prefers to be left well alone, Gardening Which? said.
For those with urban gardens, who don't fancy turning their manicured yard over to wildflowers, even a couple of large pots can be enough to attract wildlife visitors, the UK-based organisation added.
Gardening Which? gives the lowdown on what kinds of wildlife are attracted to different types of garden:
Hedgerow: A perfect hideaway for birds; adding ivy, blackthorn and willow will provide food for bees and butterflies in the colder months.
Meadow: For those with ample space, sowing a wildflower 'meadow' is easy on the right kind of soil and provides cover for tiny mammals, such as field mice, to avoid predators, plus nectar for bees and butterflies.
Woodland: It doesn't take a huge garden to make space for a copse of three rowan trees or a hazel coppice. As well as birds roosting, feeding and nesting, 'woodlands' also provide ideal environments for frogs and newts.
Pond and bog: A hive of activity, ponds fill up with pond skaters, diving beetles and dragonflies, and are a great location for passing birds and mammals to stop for a drink. Creating a bog can be fun for kids - it's simply an area kept permanently damp, planted with bog plants.
Julia Boulton, editor, Gardening Which?, said: "All gardens are potential wildlife havens. Even with a small garden, log pile or small pond will attract wildlife for you to observe and enjoy.
"And the beauty of the wildlife garden is that it doesn’t need a lot of tending - it prefers to be left well alone!"
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