Slowing down the loss of biodiversity is one of the most valuable eco-friendly functions that gardens can fulfill. If they are designed and maintained properly, they become authentic refuges for native flora and fauna.
But not only that, because if we do what is necessary, both public parks and private gardens will become wildlife strongholds that will serve as a place of passage for birds and insects on their migratory journey.
But how to achieve it? What do we have to do to make our garden a paradise of biodiversity? In this post we give you some practical tips to achieve this easily by adding simple actions that are within our reach.
Welcome, birds and pollinators
Attracting birds and pollinating insects should be one of the main objectives for a garden that seeks biodiversity. Not surprisingly, bees, bumblebees and butterflies, hummingbirds, among other pollinators, are key elements for the balance of ecosystems.
When choosing one plant or another, keep in mind that it is the color that mainly attracts them. Let’s choose local species and place them together.
Grouping them by species and colors will make their work easier. For example, butterflies are attracted to purple flowers, while bees prefer white, yellow, and bluish hues.
Lavender, thyme, daisies, roses, wallflowers, tulips, dandelions, laurel, sage, clovers… and let’s give them care free of pesticides and chemicals in general. As you can see, the list includes plants with spontaneous growth, what we so often call weeds.
Organic gardening, in fact, is an essential requirement for our garden to be attractive to them. Or, in other words, to provide them with the nectar and pollen they need for their survival.
On the other hand, attracting birds requires a series of attentions. From placing a small fountain in which they can bathe and drink to the typical birdseed feeders and houses that serve as a nest.
An ecosystem in balance
At the same time, we have to make it easy for other insects and small mammals, always within an ecosystem balance. Precisely, this balance is the great advantage of attracting biodiversity.
On the one hand, we achieve a healthy ecosystem, in which pests do not usually proliferate. While it is true that insect pests can be a problem at first, when the ecosystem develops they are minimized.
If it occurs, the ecosystem should regulate it, and if it does not, we could apply biological controls so as not to affect pollinators and other beneficial insects. Avoiding chemical solutions is possible, either by using neem oil, from homemade solutions ranging from crushed eggshells, coffee grounds, citrus peels, vinegar or soapy water, for example.
Using natural fertilizer, mulching the soil, or leaving areas where wild grasses (known as weeds) grow at will helps promote biodiversity.
What plants to put in?
Thinking about pollinators, amphibians, mammals, and birds is important when choosing plants and trees. If we want to attract squirrels, pines will be an excellent choice, although it is best to try to combine the choice of local species, if possible threatened or endangered, and at the same time look for them to attract biodiversity.
Local plants are an optimal option if our intention is for the biodiversity to be similar to that of the area. Only in this way will we make the fauna feel more attracted.
Combining vegetation of different heights and choosing different types of soil will help us to create different habitats.
Create shelters under the stones
In this sense, the stones give a lot of play. Placed on the ground, forming paths, using them as dividers or stacking them, they are an interesting way to encourage small animals, such as salamanders, beetles and others to develop their beneficial activity on a regular basis.
Whether they are flat stones or rock-type, they are a perfect material to decorate and promote biodiversity. We can also use them to border ponds or to create a special wild-style space.
Succulent plants, which require little watering and are very simple to care for, will help prevent soil erosion. Together with the stones they will create a suitable living space for these little animals to swarm at their free will.
Finally, tiles also perform this same function. As you can see in the image above, a minimum of soil or substrate will be enough for plants of very different kinds to grow. Together with the dry leaves and the nooks and crannies of the tiles themselves, they will give us a perfect place for bugs.
Why put a pond?
Building a pond is a really effective decorative way to achieve biodiversity in our garden. A plant and animal variety that can range from amphibians to local aquatic plants.
Above all, let’s avoid turning the pond into a kind of fish tank or ornamental fountain, in which aesthetics or whimsy prevail. The right approach has little to do with this type of approach.
Yes, it’s true, water lilies are very pretty, and so are goldfish, but that’s not what it’s about. Let’s find out about the aquatic fauna and flora of the area. We will soon discover that having a small pond in the garden can be an important help in saving species that are on the verge of extinction.
If you want to read similar articles to Turn a garden into a paradise of biodiversity, we recommend that you visit our Garden Care category.
