ANOTHER of the many aspects of lockdown, though it is not officially a lockdown right now, is being near one’s own garden. We can appreciate a garden, take a good look and think about what else can be done with it.

The World Wildlife Fund published a report recently saying how wildlife is disappearing faster than ever before. Insects are key because if there are plenty of insects around then there are food for birds, frogs and hedgehogs. Where there are frogs and small birds you will then get herons and buzzards.

From bats and butterflies to hedgehogs and house sparrows, what we do in our gardens could help them all.

It can be as easy as planting nectar-rich flowers or digging a pond and it’s not just great for wildlife, it’s great for you too! Why have a fence when you could have a green boundary with berries and flowers? What about the colours and scents of a nectar and pollen rich flower bed? Dig a pond and plant the edges with a colour riot of marsh marigolds and purple loosestrife.

Just about any flowers with nectar could be a treat for butterflies. Some butterflies overwinter, so thick wall coverings of ivy provide shelter for them too.

During the winter you can feed the birds, but typically winter is not the time to decide to feed the birds because there are plenty of other things going on. So have a think now about where you could put a bird feeder where there is enough shelter around so that blue tits and sparrows would actually use it, but also where you would see them.

After all, it’s your garden and you have to get something out of this or else why do it? It’s all about the wildlife, but there’s got to be some motivation in it for you too.