Gardening with children is about more than growing flowers and vegetables – it’s about nurturing a love for the natural world. By creating a wildlife-friendly garden, you can teach your little ones how to care for animals, protect biodiversity, and enjoy the wonders of nature right outside your back door. At Codsall & Wergs Garden Centre, we stock everything you need to turn your Codsall or Wolverhampton garden into a thriving space for birds, bees, and butterflies.
Why Make Your Garden Wildlife-Friendly?
A wildlife garden provides a safe space for local species and teaches children the importance of looking after the environment. It’s also a hands-on learning experience: kids can watch caterpillars turn into butterflies, listen to birdsong, or spot busy bees pollinating flowers. These magical moments spark curiosity and encourage respect for the natural world.
Simple Steps to Attract Wildlife
1. Plant Pollinator-Friendly Flowers
Choose nectar-rich flowers that attract bees and butterflies, such as lavender, foxgloves, and buddleia. Children can help pick seeds or seedlings and watch as colourful blooms bring pollinators into the garden.
2. Build a Bug Hotel
Bug hotels are a fantastic craft project for children. Use sticks, pine cones, bamboo canes, and recycled materials to create cosy shelters for insects. Kids will love checking their bug hotel regularly to see who has moved in.
3. Add a Bird Feeder or Nesting Box
Encourage feathered friends to visit by hanging a bird feeder or putting up a nesting box. Children can fill feeders with seeds and keep a notebook of the different bird species they spot in your Codsall or Wolverhampton garden.
4. Create a Mini Pond
Even a small water feature can attract frogs, dragonflies, and birds. A shallow container filled with rainwater makes a great starter pond. Just be sure to supervise younger children when water is involved.
5. Leave a Wild Corner
Not every part of your garden needs to be tidy. Leaving a small patch of long grass, nettles, or wildflowers provides food and shelter for insects and small mammals. It’s a simple way to show children that nature thrives when given space.
Family Activities for a Wildlife Garden
- Nature Journals: Encourage kids to draw or write about the creatures they see.
- Photography Projects: Let children take photos of flowers, bugs, or birds to build their own wildlife album.
- Seasonal Spotting: Track which animals visit in spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
These activities make gardening interactive and help children appreciate seasonal changes in the natural world.
Fun for everyone!
Creating a wildlife-friendly garden is a wonderful way to combine fun, education, and environmental care. By planting for pollinators, providing homes for insects, and welcoming birds, your garden becomes a living classroom for children. Visit Codsall & Wergs Garden Centre in Codsall, near Wolverhampton, to find pollinator plants, bug hotels, bird feeders, and everything else you need to get started. You can also shop online for convenient home delivery and begin your family’s wildlife adventure today.
