10 Ways to Make a Wildlife-Friendly Garden — UK Summer Guide

1. Put Out Bird Feeders All Year Round

The quickest way to bring wildlife into your garden is to offer food. British garden birds — from blue tits and robins to goldfinches and great spotted woodpeckers — will visit daily once they know there's a reliable food source. Summer is especially important because birds are feeding hungry chicks and need high-energy food.

Choose a squirrel-proof bird feeder to stop the local grey squirrel population from scoffing everything before the birds get a look-in. The Selections Squirrel Proof Hanging Bird Feeder (Pack of 2) is a UK best-seller for good reason — its weight-activated mechanism closes when a squirrel jumps on, letting small birds feed undisturbed.

Fill it with premium sunflower hearts — they're high in oil and protein, have no husk waste, and attract the widest range of British garden birds. For an extra energy boost during the summer moulting season, hang a feeder with suet fat balls. The Suet to Go 50-pack is a great choice — they're made with beef suet and grains, hold their shape in warm weather, and attract everything from blue tits to great spotted woodpeckers.

Avoid cheap bargain-bin fat balls that can go rancid in summer heat.

2. Provide Clean Water for Drinking and Bathing

Water is the single most effective wildlife attractor. During the hot British summer, natural water sources dry up, and birds, hedgehogs, bees, and butterflies all need access to clean water. A simple bird bath does triple duty as a drinking fountain, bathing spot, and insect watering hole.

The Arcadia Stone Fibreclay Birdbath is an excellent choice for UK gardens — it's frost-resistant, lightweight enough to move around, and the shallow dish is the perfect depth for small birds. Position it near a shrub or bush so birds have a quick escape route from predators, and change the water every couple of days to prevent mosquitoes breeding.

A tip for hot weather: pop a small stick or stone in the water to give bees and butterflies a safe landing spot — they can drown in open water if there's no way to climb out.

3. Build or Buy a Bug Hotel

Insect hotels aren't just charming garden features — they're essential breeding and hibernation sites for solitary bees, ladybirds, lacewings, and other beneficial insects. These insects pollinate your plants and naturally control pests like aphids.

The Garden Mile Wooden Insect Hotel is a well-designed option with bamboo tubes for solitary bees, pinecones for ladybirds, and bark for lacewings. Hang it on a south-facing wall, at least a metre off the ground, and watch it fill with activity within days. If you're feeling crafty, you can make your own using bamboo canes, old plant pots, and dried leaves.

4. Give Hedgehogs a Home

Hedgehog numbers in the UK have declined by over 50% since the year 2000, making garden hedgehog houses one of the most impactful wildlife additions you can make. A hedgehog needs a dry, safe place to sleep during the day and, if you're lucky, to hibernate over winter.

The Actiaspet Wooden Hedgehog House features a predator-proof tunnel entrance, lockable roof for easy cleaning, and waterproof construction. Place it in a quiet corner of the garden, under a hedge or behind a shed, with the entrance facing away from prevailing winds.

You can also create a hedgehog highway by cutting a 13cm x 13cm hole in your fence or wall — this allows hedgehogs to roam between gardens, which they need to do to find enough food and mates. It's a small change that makes a huge difference to your local hedgehog population.

5. Sow Wildflowers for Pollinators

Nothing brings a garden alive like a patch of wildflowers buzzing with bees and butterflies. UK native wildflowers are perfectly adapted to our climate and provide the best possible forage for British pollinators. Even a small patch can make a difference.

The UK Native Wild Flower Seed Mix (100g) contains both annuals and perennials specifically chosen for British gardens — cornflower, poppy, oxeye daisy, and birdsfoot trefoil among others. Scatter it in a sunny spot, lightly rake in, and water well. You'll see flowers in 6-8 weeks, and the bees will find them within hours of the first bloom.

For smaller gardens, the Pronto Seed Wildflower Seeds 100g Bag is a great option — it's designed for borders and containers, and the mix includes varieties that flower from May to October for continuous pollinator food.

6. Start Composting

A compost heap is a wildlife powerhouse. It provides food and shelter for slow worms, frogs, toads, hedgehogs, and countless insects — all while creating free, nutrient-rich compost for your garden. It's the ultimate win-win for wildlife and gardener alike.

The VonHaus 480L Compost Bin is a practical choice for most UK gardens — its large capacity means you can compost kitchen scraps, grass clippings, and prunings without it filling up too quickly. Speed up the process with Vitax Compost Maker, which introduces the right bacteria to break down material faster.

7. Ditch Chemical Pesticides for Natural Alternatives

Chemical pesticides don't discriminate — they kill pests and beneficial insects alike. By switching to natural pest control methods, you protect the bees, ladybirds, and hoverflies that keep your garden healthy. Most common garden pests can be managed without spraying anything at all, but when you do need help, there are wildlife-friendly options.

H&C Cold Pressed Pure Neem Oil is a natural insecticide that controls aphids, whitefly, and scale insects without harming bees once it's dry. Mix a few drops with water and a tiny amount of mild soap, spray in the evening when bees have gone to bed, and you'll see results within days. For a ready-to-use option, the Organic Plant Bug Spray 250ml is certified bee-friendly and works well on common soft-bodied pests.

8. Use Copper Slug Tape Instead of Pellets

Traditional slug pellets contain metaldehyde, which is highly toxic to hedgehogs, birds, and even dogs and cats. A single slug pellet can kill a hedgehog. If you have slugs in your garden — and let's face it, who doesn't in a British summer? — use physical barriers instead of poison.

EFA International Copper Slug Tape creates a mild electrical charge when slug slime touches it, which deters them without killing them. Apply it around the rims of pots, raised beds, and greenhouse bases. It lasts for years, works in all weather, and doesn't poison the wildlife that visits your garden.

9. Plant Pollinator-Friendly Herbs and Flowers

Some plants are wildlife superstars. Lavender, borage, catmint, foxglove, and echinacea are magnets for bees and butterflies, while berrying shrubs like pyracantha and cotoneaster provide winter food for birds. Planting a mix that flowers from early spring through to autumn ensures there's always something in bloom for pollinators.

Herbs are particularly good value — they're easy to grow, drought-tolerant once established, and absolutely covered in bees when they flower. Rosemary, thyme, oregano, and chives all produce masses of nectar-rich flowers that pollinators adore. And you get to harvest fresh herbs for the kitchen too. For a complete guide to growing your own, see our How to Grow Herbs UK guide.

10. Leave a Wild Corner

The single easiest thing you can do for wildlife is also the laziest: leave a corner of your garden alone. Let the grass grow long, allow nettles to grow (they're the food plant for several British butterfly species), and pile up fallen leaves and twigs. This creates a miniature nature reserve where insects, spiders, and small mammals can live undisturbed.

A log pile is especially valuable — it provides shelter for beetles, centipedes, woodlice, and the frogs and hedgehogs that eat them. Stack a few old logs in a shady corner, add some leaf litter, and leave them to rot naturally. Within weeks you'll have a thriving ecosystem that costs nothing and requires zero maintenance.

Final Thoughts

You don't need a large garden or a big budget to make a difference for UK wildlife. Even a small balcony with a bird feeder, a pot of lavender, and a shallow dish of water will attract bees, birds, and butterflies. The key is to start with one or two changes and build from there.

This summer, why not pick three ideas from this list and try them? By this time next year, you'll have a garden that's not just beautiful and productive, but alive with the sight and sound of British wildlife — and that's something no chemical spray or manicured lawn can match.

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Alex Green

Alex Green writes about vegetable growing, plant care and small-space gardening for MyLushGarden.

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Last reviewed: July 11, 2026 · Evidence-based content · Contains affiliate links