Natural England

Research shows that a well kept garden can increase the value of your property by up to 6% - about £12,000 on the average house. Whilst hopefully increasing the value of your home you could also be contributing toward stemming the damage to the environment and encouraging wildlife into your garden. Natural England is launching it’s “Top Tips for Wildlife Gardening” urging people in the North East to do their bit for the environment.

Jayne Thompson, Natural England spokesperson said “Creating a wildlife friendly garden that not only improves the appearance of your home from the outside does not necessarily mean a lot of work or cost. The Top Tips require little physical effort and many offer cheaper options to formal gardening, so why not give these tips a go and see what a selling point you could create”.

• Brighten your garden with flowers that provide pollen and nectar for bees, butterflies and other insects all year round. Many garden plants are as good for wildlife as wild flowers.
• Have a variety of trees, shrubs and climbers - or a mixed hedge - to give food and shelter to wildlife.
• Look after mature trees in and around your garden and they’ll look after the wildlife. Old trees are more important for wildlife than anything else.
• Create a pond - or just let an upturned bin-lid or a sunken washing bowl fill with water. Make sure ponds have one sloping side to allow creatures an easy way out and add lots of plants.
• Leave a pile of dead wood in a shady spot. Any wood will do, though large logs are best and can make a home for anything from beetles to other useful mini-beasts.
• Build a compost heap – it will save you money! It will also shelter creatures like slow worms that eat slugs.
• Provide food and water for birds all year round.
• Relax! Don’t feel you have to be too tidy. Leave some areas undisturbed. Allow a patch of grass to grow longer. This will encourage wild flowers, provide shelter for small mammals and food for some butterfly caterpillars.
• Garden sustainably to help protect wildlife and the environment worldwide. Use fewer chemicals and no peat; choose wood from sustainable sources; recycle all you can and save water.
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Notes to Editors

• Natural England was established by the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. Its purpose is to ensure that the natural environment is conserved, enhanced and managed for the benefit of present and future generations, thereby contributing to sustainable development.
• Natural England has been formed by bringing together English Nature, the landscape, access and recreation elements of the Countryside Agency and the environmental land management functions of the Rural Development Service.
• Natural England has a budget of £500 million and employs 2,500 people.
• Natural England’s headquarters are based in Sheffield.
• Spokespeople, photography and logos available. For further information, Jayne Thompson 0191 229 5513