Northants, Leics &amp; Rutland


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1498" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/Spring-crocus.jpeg" alt="Spring crocus gardening for biodiversity" class="wp-image-56514" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/Spring-crocus.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/Spring-crocus-200x300.jpeg 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/Spring-crocus-684x1024.jpeg 684w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/Spring-crocus-768x1150.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-it-s-a-spring-thing">It’s a spring thing</h2>



<p>The sun has been showing it&#8217;s face this week (hoorah!) and while, it’s uplifting to see your garden bursting into life, it’s especially important for species that depend on it for food and shelter. Habitat loss is a significant issue for much of our native flora and fauna but, if you have a garden, you can do something to help.</p>



<p>With residential gardens covering an area more than four and a half times larger than that of our National Nature Reserves, their ability to support wildlife shouldn&#8217;t be underestimated. Thinking about your space as somewhere a whole ecosystem can thrive is the key to planning a more sustainable garden and how you can make a difference.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1498" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/Tulips-spring-garden.jpeg" alt="Pink tulips English spring garden" class="wp-image-56517" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/Tulips-spring-garden.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/Tulips-spring-garden-200x300.jpeg 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/Tulips-spring-garden-684x1024.jpeg 684w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/Tulips-spring-garden-768x1150.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-make-space-for-nature">Make space for nature</h2>



<p>The UK’s Wildlife Trust says 60% of species in the UK have declined in the last 50 years, with habitat loss being a key reason. So, making space for nature (or even just leaving a corner a little untidier than usual) can have a positive impact.</p>



<p>The context of your garden – urban or rural, local climate, size, surrounding landscape and even the condition and type of soil you have play a role in determining the most effective way to encourage biodiversity in your space.</p>



<p>For example, what does your local wildlife look like and how does it use the area? Is your garden positioned near a green space that your garden can extend. Or, are you a lone oasis in an urban jungle? Gardens that are part of a network or corridor of habitats that allow insects, birds and small mammals to move around are particularly important in urban areas.</p>



<p>If we think about food webs and how we can support them, everything starts with soil. So, even by just improving its health in your garden you’ll be improving biodiversity as well as ensuring your planting thrives. As you plan your spring garden, think about how you create these critical habitats as well as something lovely to look at.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/Bumblebee.jpg" alt="Bumblebee on clover" class="wp-image-56519" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/Bumblebee.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/Bumblebee-200x300.jpg 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/Bumblebee-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/Bumblebee-768x1152.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-make-a-buzz">Make a buzz</h2>



<ul>
<li>It’s a perfect time to add new plants to your garden so consider adding pollinator friendly species. Pollinators are crucial for plant reproduction (including many food crops) and their favoured plants depend on how each species feeds. For example, bumblebees can have short or long tongues which governs the shape of the flowers they visit. Moths follow scent to find their preferred flowers in fading light. These and other species such as hover-flies and butterflies are integral not just as pollinators but their presence provides food for birds, bats and small mammals.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Ditch the chemicals – pesticides in particular. Some chemicals are accumulative and can impact species further up the food chain. Attracting pollinators will also attract the things that eat them and less desirable insect visitors.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>While native planting is important for supporting local species and should be incorporated where possible, our changing climate also means considering a mix of native and non-native planting to ensure we can continue to support wildlife in the future.</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1333" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/Hawthorn.jpg" alt="English native hawthorn tree" class="wp-image-56521" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/Hawthorn.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/Hawthorn-225x300.jpg 225w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/Hawthorn-768x1024.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plant-a-tree">Plant a tree</h2>



<p>Did someone mention ‘eco-system services’? (we just did). What are they? You ask? Well, these are the diverse range of benefits humans get from the natural environment and elements within it such as raw materials, nutrient cycling, enjoyment and, many more. Few elements within these ecosystems work as hard as your average tree.</p>



<p>Not only do trees provide shade, oxygen, food and shelter (for us and countless species) they improve soil and air quality, play an important part in the natural water cycle and can reduce the urban heat island effect in cities. </p>



<p>Not every garden will have space for a tree but, with many compact varieties available they can be considered even in smaller spaces (design-wise, adding the right tree can even make a small space feel bigger). Native species such as hawthorn and oak are biodiversity leaders, supporting hundreds of species. However, if you don’t have space, natives such guelder rose and elder can be grown as multi-stem shrubs with similar benefits.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/soil.jpg" alt="Improve soil for biodiversity" class="wp-image-56523" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/soil.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/soil-200x300.jpg 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/soil-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2025/03/soil-768x1152.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-put-in-the-groundwork">Put in the groundwork</h2>



<p>Healthy ecosystems start with soil and, even in a modest garden there are things you can do to support this important foundation. Even if you’re gardening in pots and containers, healthy soil promotes healthy plants which play a part in the wider ecosystem.</p>



<ul>
<li>Mulch: Using a layer of organic matter such as leaf mould, manure, compost (always peat free, preferably, home made) around your plants provides nutrients, helps retain moisture and can suppress weed growth. It also improves the soil structure as it’s drawn into the soil by the action of invertebrates.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Planting a variety of plants with differing root depths improves soil structure and helps you support a wider range of wildlife, it also creates more resilient plant communities.</li>
</ul>



<p><em>Hannah Phillips (MAPL, MCIHort) is an accredited garden designer working in East Northamptonshire and beyond with a focus on designing gardens for better climate resilience and responsible water use.&nbsp;</em></p>



<p><em><a href="https://www.hpgardendesign.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HP Garden Design</a>, email: studio@hpgardendesign.co.uk, tel: 07733 308606</em></p>


Spring into action! How to improve your garden’s biodiversity

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