Newport developer shares top tips for making gardens more wildlife friendly this Garden Wildlife Week

Leading developer Lovell Homes is getting involved with Garden Wildlife Week, which is running from Monday 5^th to Sunday 11^th June, by sharing a list of five top tips to make residents’ gardens friendlier for the wildlife that visits throughout the year.

Suzie Hewitt, regional sales director at Lovell Homes, said: “Our gardens are full of so much wonderful wildlife that we frequently forget is there. Garden Wildlife Week is all about helping those amazing creatures to flourish, which is exactly what we hope to do.

“With these top tips, residents’ gardens will become much friendlier places for the vast and varied amount of wildlife that we’re privileged to live alongside. We hope that everyone takes this opportunity to appreciate our smaller, more vulnerable, neighbours.”

1. 
   Cut back on harmful chemicals

Some common gardening products contain chemicals that can be extremely harmful to wildlife. Sprays that target insects that eat certain plants can end up poisoning the animals that eat those insects too. So, ditching the pesticides and slug pellets is a great way to bring nature back into your garden.

In order for your garden to thrive without the help of harmful chemicals, it is best to have lots of variety so that no one species takes over the space. You can also take steps to make your garden welcoming to natural predators of the critters that like to feed on plants and flowers. Birds, hedgehogs and frogs eat slugs, and ladybirds love aphids, so they work as a natural pest control.

2. Chose the right plants

When it comes to gardening there are lots of plants to choose from, but some are more friendly to wildlife than others. Making smart choices about which ones to have in your outdoor space can make all the difference.

Butterflies and bees need lots of nectar and pollen, so plants such as lungwort, lavender and sunflowers can be a great choice. Moths and bats, on the other hand, are attracted to plants that release their scent in the evening, so may prefer options such as evening primrose or honeysuckle.

3. Make a shelter

One great way to make your garden a haven for wildlife is to build spaces that the bugs and animals can use.

In larger gardens, this can take the form of structures such as a hedgehog home, which can be made out of wood and covered with soil and leaves to create a cosy space where hedgehogs can rest and hide from predators.

In smaller spaces, such as balconies, this can take the form of a container garden, which creates a small ecosystem for bugs and insects to enjoy. A small bug hotel also provides great shelter for insects such as solitary bees, ladybirds and spiders.

4. Provide food and water

Food and water are essential for wildlife to thrive, and leaving some out in your garden can be a great help.

When putting out water, try to ensure that whatever container you put it in isn’t too deep and that it has textured edges or a large stone in it, so wildlife is able to climb out. Be careful not to leave it in easy reach of predators, such as cats.

When it comes to food, it is important to know what animals are in your area and what they can and cannot eat, and to dispose of any food that is not eaten overnight, so that it doesn’t spoil and make the animals ill. Feeding the birds is a great place to start.

5. Consider composting

Composting is an excellent way to reduce food waste that can also create a habitat for bugs and reptiles.

It is best to start the process when you have a lot of scraps, so save them up before adding them to the heap. It is also important to know what can and cannot be composted. For instance, cooked foods cannot be added to a compost heap, but things like paper, tea leaves and fruit and vegetable peels can.

In Newport, Lovell Homes is providing new homes at its Royal Victoria Court and Locke Gardens developments.

Royal Victoria Court is being delivered by Lovell in partnership with Tirion Homes and with support from Welsh Government. The development will consist of 528 properties, including 264 open market sale homes and 234 affordable homes for rent with Tirion Homes, alongside an additional 30 properties for low-cost home ownership through Melin Homes. 

Locke Gardens is being delivered by Lovell in partnership with Pobl. The development will consist of 500 properties, including 285 open market sale homes, 80 affordable homes and 135 shared ownership properties. The development is part of Glan Llyn – a residential-led development being delivered by St Modwen. The £1 billion regeneration project is transforming the 600-acre brownfield site and creating a major new vibrant community for South Wales, with a total of 4,000 new homes being delivered alongside community infrastructure and green, open space.

Royal Victoria Court and Locke Gardens are now open seven days a week, 10am to 5pm. To find out more, visit https://www.lovell.co.uk/developments/royal-victoria-court-newport/ or call on 01633 928 856 for Royal Victoria Court. For Locke Gardens, visit https://www.lovell.co.uk/developments/locke-gardens-llanwern/ or call on 01633 494 965.

This year, Lovell Homes achieved Gold for customer service with In-house Research, meaning an impressive 91 per cent of customers in the South Wales and West would recommend Lovell to family and friends.

You can also like Lovell on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lovellhomes and follow Lovell on Instagram at @lovell_homes, and on LinkedIn @LovellPartnershipsLtd. 

Also a helpful article can be found here: https://www.wirefence.co.uk/how-to-make-a-bug-hotel/