What is the best way to attract wildlife into my garden?

I am getting on in years and my garden is my refuge-I would love to see birds and other animals using my garden-can you recommend any natural products to encourage them? Cheap please as I am on a limited income

What is the best way to attract wildlife into my garden?
A small pond can be made out of a ridge kids paddling pool, bird baths can be made out of bin lids turned upside down, putting out food such as poultry corn attracts finches and a mixed bird food will attract other birds, peanuts in a wire container will attract most-**** and other small species, a variety of nest boxes to suite all types of birds, meal worms will attract robins , goldcrest and wrens.





My garden is north facing and 17ft X 20ft, I have 3 nest boxes for blue-**** and other small birds, 2 nest boxes for great-**** and house sparrows. 2 open fronted boxes that the wrens, gold crest and other small birds use, on the end of my bungalow I have a barn owl box. Also in the back garden I have 4 peanut containers, 4 containers for the poultry corn, 2 containers for the mixed wild bird food and a bird table so that meal worms can be put out of the cats way, I also put meal worms around the small plum tree in the garden.


On the front of my bungalow I have one large container for poultry corn, 2 peanut holders plus two bird boxes for all-****.
Reply:Put out appropriate food
Reply:Food and quiet.


A cheap bag of mixed seed.





If you are interested in big animals, deer etc. include a salt-lick.





But be cautious as the animals will come to depend on the food supply and if you interrupt or stop it, say while you are on vacation, it will impact them, particularly if you live in a winter/snow zone. They may die without the food supply.
Reply:Plant the kind of plants that would attract them. Birds love plants with seeds that they can eat or with flowers and leaves that will attract bugs that they can eat. They also need plants that grow low to the ground and fairly thickly that will provide cover for them so they can hide.


There are books you can buy that will describe how and what to plant so you can attract wildlife to your garden and back yard. Also check with the Audubon Society. They will give you tips on how to provide a pleasant environment for birds.
Reply:lot of colourful plants
Reply:Hi, believe it or not they do say you should let a part of your garden grow wild just to trim it back on odd ocassions, its true when it comes to my garden as i always kept it nice in the past but the last 2 years i have had my dog out there alot and not had the time to do gardening with 5 children. Hence my garden is grown as it pleased, i have so much wild life in my garden that small birds like to come and sit on my dogs head hes so soppy that he just lets them, i think he likes their company and singing.
Reply:Put out food, and they'll be along
Reply:Ditch the lawn-mower. Long grass will attract all kinds of wildlife.
Reply:Grow things like sunflowers and leave them to go to seed. You can also buy cheap seed from shops like Wilkinsons. Don't feed them white bread though . And be careful about leaving out too much food for tem as it attracts vermin. A pyracantha bush is good for attracting birds too as it has lots of berries.
Reply:If you go to the link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/wild...





it will tell you a lot as to what to do to encourage wildlife into your garden. Not only that but you can help them by recording all that you see in your garden, and for your area.


I belong to this site, and find it very pleasing.
Reply:put a tray of nuts, corn, or bread in the middle of your lawn it will attrack birds squirells, and hedgehogs, unfortunatly it will also attrack foxes the odd cat or two and possibly rats but it is a cheap way to do it
Reply:The best plants to attract honey eating birds and the like are Native Shrubs and trees such as grevillia, bottlebrush,etc.
Reply:I don't know where you are but in my experience, if you plant native plants preferably red flowering you will get birds etc
Reply:This depends on what kind of wildlife you want around you, if you want birds, you can put out the certain feeders for different birds, if you want insects like butterflys you can get a Butterfly bush, phlox, any kind of sweet smelling plants, you definately dont want deer because they eat everything.
Reply:Oh I love your question. I have been doing the same thing in mine. All life, wild and otherwise need food, water, shelter (called cover in the wild world) and a place to raise their young.


If you already have an established garden you probably have cover and mature trees for nesting. Some native shrubs and perennials that produce fruit, nectar and seeds would be a welcome addition. You didn't say where you live so the specific choices would be dependent upon your location. Sunflowers grow almost anywhere and many varieties of birds love them.


I live in the desert, and made a waterfall/stream/pond the center of my garden. It is by far the most wildlife attracting piece of my landscape. You can provide water without going to alot of expense. Try several small or varied types of containers for water for drinking and bathing. Butterflies like a shallow container filled with sand and kept wet. Plant dill and parsley for them and their offspring will have something to eat and reward you with their jewel like presence.


We live in an are where there are lots of hummingbirds so we have quite a few feeders and lots of trumpet shaped flower varieties for nectar.


These are just a few suggestions there are many others.


The National Wildlife Federation has lots of tips for attracting wildlife as well. www.nwf.org


Good luck