Gardening for wildlife (talk)
As the biodiversity crisis deepens, I believe gardens — even the smallest ones — have the power to become sanctuaries for wildlife. That’s why I wrote this talk on gardening for wildlife — to share practical ways we can all support nature in our home gardens.
Watch the talk and read on for more details:
My inspiration - Dr. Jennifer Owen
I was especially inspired by the work of Jennifer Owen, who famously recorded an astonishing 2,673 species in her modest suburban garden in Leicester. Her decades of observation showed what many of us feel intuitively: gardens, when allowed to come alive, have incredible potential to support biodiversity.
In the talk, I share five practical actions we can all take to make our gardens more wildlife-friendly — no matter the size or setting.
1. Wilding our gardens
Let’s start by giving a bit of space back to nature. Whether it’s creating a wildflower meadow, or making embracing that boggy corner of your garden and turning it into a wetland area; wilding is amazing for wildlife!
A wilder garden offers food and habitat for pollinators, birds, and insects.
2. Naturalistic planting
Inspired by the work of Piet Oudolf, naturalistic planting focuses on reliable plants with high ecological value, planted in ways that mimic natural environments.
Think of layered plant communities — grasses swaying in the wind, perennials that support insects, and seed heads that provide winter interest and bird food. It’s beautiful, functional, and teeming with life.
3. Artificial homes for wildlife
Not all creatures find homes in plants alone. You can provide shelter by building or installing:
Bee hotels for solitary bees
Log piles for a whole range of wildlife species, including saproxylic organisms
Wildlife ponds, even small ones, which are magnets for life
4. Harness natural resources
Gardening for wildlife doesn’t need to be expensive. Making compost, saving seeds, and propagating plants helps up to build a more resilient, biodiverse garden without breaking the bank.
By working with nature, we create systems that support both wildlife and ourselves.
5. Changing our mindset and connecting with others
Perhaps the most important shift is in how we see gardens. Moving away from the idea of the pristine, manicured lawn and towards a more relaxed, wildlife-friendly approach is vital. Mess is not failure — it’s habitat.
And once we’ve made that shift, we can encourage others to join in. Talk to neighbours, share seeds and cuttings, and show that gardening for wildlife is not just good for nature — it’s deeply rewarding for people too.
Let me know your thoughts
I’d love to hear your feedback on this talk. I know its a long one, but please do let me know what you get out of it.
Best seasonal wishes 🍂
Joe
Joe Vary Dip. Hort (Wisley), MCIHort, CMTGG
I'm a gardener, educator, consultant, and planting designer. Learn with me 1-to-1, or join my mentoring group and community.
This Post Has 2 Comments
An outstanding presentation, totally absorbing and fascinating, and full of challenging but possible opportunities that I feel I can further develop in my fairly small garden. I have been trying to put into practice some of my learning from your previous videos and this video talk seems to tie so much together and drive further on.
Thank you Joe for being such an inspiring motivator.
Really pleased you found the talk so motivating Jo!
Thanks for the feedback and please do keep me updated with how your small garden continues to develop 😊