A Garden for Biodiversity

We are fortunate to have people living within the 4B’s area who have used their garden to create a haven for wildlife. Over the last decade, Paul and Clare Ritchie have set out to create conditions for wildlife to flourish in their 850sq metre garden at the edge of Brockham. In doing so they provide a practical demonstration of what it means to garden for biodiversity. Over time, they have come to see themselves as guardians for nature rather than simply wildlife gardeners and they fully subscribe to the idea that ‘We Are The Ark’ and the totality of their efforts is an Act of Restorative Kindness.
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Every year Paul and Clare, generously share their garden through an Open Garden Week. Thanks to Paul’s series of talks on Gardening for Biodiversity there was considerable interest in visiting their garden this year and during the course of the week there were close to 100 visitors, including many who had been to his talks. 12 people participated in our 2 hour evening tour to see and learn about many of the ideas he had presented in his talks.

According to Paul, gardens like all ecosystems are four dimensional and dynamic places. Not only do they need space but they need time to establish natural processes and biological communities. Plants are the foundation of food webs for herbivores that include caterpillars grazing on plant leaves, butterflies and hoverflies sipping nectar, and bees gathering pollen. These are all preyed upon by carnivorous beetles, wasps, dragonflies, spiders, amphibians, reptiles, birds and small mammals.

By allowing plants to naturally seed and grow in a garden we increase in a natural way the diversity of species. Many insect larvae are adapted to feed on specific native species of plant. Having a variety of self-seeding flowers, especially native species, will help insects to complete their life cycles and of course provide food for carnivorous insects, spiders, birds and mammals.

According to Paul wildlife gardening is all about the principles of permaculture – cooperating with nature rather than fighting against it. We made space for wildlife rather than trying to control it! Providing habitats (homes) will attract wild plants and animals by providing food, water, shelter and space. A wild garden is enhanced by layered planting (vertical structure) of trees, shrubs, flowers, grasses and ground cover plants. Horizontal structure in height, depth and density of plants provides more places for insects and other animals to feed and find shelter.

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Paul and Clare's approach to gardening is founded on four essential needs of
wild animals and plants.

Food – is more than just bird feeders. To attract insects, that will provide food for birds and other animals, it is important to provide some native flowers, shrubs and trees, bird feeders, nectar rich flowers, fruit tree(s) or berry bearing shrubs, perennials left uncut over winter, vegetable patch, beds or pots, herb garden or pots.

Water – all life on Earth is composed of and reliant on water. Providing a constant supply of fresh water for wildlife is often the important thing missing from most gardens. We might consider creating a wildlife pond (no fish), bog garden or permanently wet area, bucket pond, bird bath, drought tolerant plants, water butts for rainwater.

Shelter –is the next important thing for animals after having a drink and feeding. A place to avoid the heat of the day, cold spells, heavy rain or the interest of predators. Shelters might include - dead wood, log or stone pile, native trees , shrubs or hedges, climbing plants on wall or trellis, area of lawn left to grow long, small wild flower meadow, bird, mammal or insect boxes.

Safety – is about protecting wildlife from harm and changing how we garden. For example, organic gardening in cooperation with nature rather than trying to control wild plants and animals, not using pesticides or slug pellets, not using chemical weed killers, not cutting hedges March – August, using peat-free compost, using a compost bin or wormery, using hand tools for gardening

Its easy to make a list of ways to help nature – the hard part is to act on the ideas and change your mindset about what a garden is for. It may well involve coping with untidiness and letting go of aesthetically appealing closely cut lawns, cropped hedges and neat flower beds. But the benefits to other living things, and the ongoing legacy of future life is deeply rewarding and this is what is being shared through a visit to the Ritchie’s garden and the stories that Paul shared.

​Norman Jackson