Lawn and meadow
Lawn
Lawns are perfect places for blackbirds and thrushes to hunt for insects, worms and collect mud for making nests.
Wagtails and flycatchers will swoop across the open spaces between borders and shrubs to catch flying insects rising from the turf.
Green woodpeckers will love it if there are ants and they are joy to watch at work!
Starlings have very strong beak muscles which allow them to plunge their beak into the ground and open a wide hole so they can probe around to find their food.
Meadow
The best lawns for wildlife are ones with weeds and flowers in them – so ‘feed and weed’ is not recommended! Short grass is great for many species, but longer grass can encourage more nectar rich flowers for bees, butterflies and other insects. Areas of longer grass allowed to grow into meadow will also offer seeds for the birds and small mammals.
If you have room, do consider allowing some of your lawn to grow long – cutting it just a few times per year once all the seeds have fallen. This area doesn’t have to be big – just a few feet would make a big difference.
Larger gardens could enjoy meadow areas interspersed with short grass paths to allow all levels of enjoyment by wildlife. Encourage native meadow flowers to attract a range of insects, bees and butterflies. Border this area with a lovely natural hedge and you will have created paradise for a whole range of birds and wildlife!
Areas where grass struggles to grow because of poor soil condition is perfect to sow meadow mixtures onto. Native meadow flowers and grasses prefer poor, unimproved soil, so this would be the perfect excuse to make a wild area for wildlife.
You could try sowing SBS meadow seed – contact us to request a free sample pack of seed.