How to make a wildlife-friendly garden
Peacock butterfly by Terry Whittaker/2020VISION
Welcome to BBOWT's video series about helping wildlife in Berks, Bucks and Oxon.
Have you got a question you'd like Ben to answer about wildlife gardening, or suggestions for future topics? Pop them in the comments or share them with us on social media, tagging @BBOWT, and we'll try to get them all answered in future videos.
How to help hedgehogs
Hedgehogs are without doubt one of the nation’s favourite mammals, but they are in decline. Ben’s here to share tips on how to help them thrive.
Make Your Garden Bat Friendly
Make your garden bat friendly
On a late summer’s evening there’s nothing quite as entertaining as settling down in a comfy garden chair to watch the bats come out to swish and swoop on their hunt for food. They’re fascinating creatures, but they need our help. Here’s how you can do your bit.
Wiggly wonders: Look after our worms
Worms are an easily overlooked part of the garden – they’re underground after all. But a garden with a healthy worm population is the starting point to one that’s alive with wildlife! Get lots more ideas to help worms in our free booklet.
Flower power: Grow a miniature meadow
Meadows are truly special places, full of stunning wild flowers and alive with the colour and industry of insects such as butterflies. So why not make a miniature meadow in your garden!
Check in time: Make a bug hotel
Did you know that the average garden has more than 2,000 different species of insects. That’s incredible isn’t it! Why not encourage even more of them with a beautiful bug hotel. Ben's here to show you how to make one, from a simple bundle of canes to a 5* mansion!
Patio gardens for wildlife
Turn your patio into a haven for wildlife with Ben's top tips for containers, hanging baskets, climbers and even a small pond.
Go peat free in the garden
Go peat free
Our gardens have an important role in the fight against the climate crisis. You can help preserve vital peatland by going peat free in your garden. Ben's here to show you just how easy it is. Find out more about going peat-free.
Create a wildlife pond
Ponds are one of the best things for wildlife that you can add to your garden. Ben shows you how simple it is to make your own pond, and shares some tips about great plants to add. A great project for the weekend, and you'll be surprised how quickly the wildlife will move in!
Get step by step instructions and lists of great pond plants
If you've got a small garden or just a patio, why not build a mini pond!
Make a simple log pile for wildlife
A simple log pile is a great addition to your garden for all sorts of creatures. Ben shows you how to create one.
Make your garden wilder for wildlife
Making part of your garden wilder for wildlife doesn't mean it needs to be messy, as Ben explains!
Natural pest control
Work with nature to get rid of unwanted creatures from your garden with these simple tips from Ben
Feeding the birds in spring
Our garden birds have been giving us so much pleasure at the moment, but what should we be feeding them while they raise their families? Ben shares some top tips in his next video.
Create a buzz - flowers for bees and butterflies
Welcome to the first in our new series of wildlife gardening videos with Ben. In our first episode, we're looking at the best plants to grow so that your garden provides bees and butterflies with pollen and nectar all year round.
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Find more ways to help wildlife
What to feed hedgehogs and badgers
Putting out a bit of food can help see mammals like hedgehogs through colder spells.
How to cut out palm oil – not trees
Palm Oil is a cheap, efficient form of vegetable oil, but a lot of species-rich tropical habitat is being destroyed to make way for it…
How to compost your waste
Instead of sending your green waste to landfill, create your own compost.
How to create a mini pond
Even a small pond can be home to an interesting range of wildlife, including damsel and dragonflies, frogs and newts.
How to make your garden a chemical-free zone
Go chemical-free in your garden to help wildlife, make a safer environment for people and pets, and save money!
How to feed birds in your garden
Find out how to attract birds into your garden all year round.