Having a nice back garden that brings instant calmness whilst being at one with nature sounds like a must to us. Even if you have a small patio area, a balcony or a big piece of land, you can still achieve a nature garden, you just have to be realistic as to what you can fit into your space.
So, where do you start on establishing a nice nature garden? We have put together some nifty ideas on how you can create a relaxing outdoor space.
Let’s Get Green!
The first step to a nature garden is to look at growing some plants, it will bring an element of freshness into the outdoors space. Getting your gardening gloves on and unleashing your inner green fingers is a natural stress reliever, it also ensures you are getting some well needed fresh air.
You can find lots of tips and tricks on growing plants either online, in books or at your local garden centre. There are loads of Facebook groups where you can either ask questions or share your own growing knowledge.
We have split our suggestions into two categories, flowers and vegetables, check them out below:
Flowers:
Growing flowers has so many benefits to your outdoor space, and will enhance your nature garden. Benefits include:
1. Increasing Pollination – Flowers are amazing for attracting the bees and butterflies.
2. Inexpensive Décor – You can pick up flower seeds for quite a small price.
3. Health Benefits – You can grow a whole range of plants used for herbal remedies, as well as herbs for home cooking.
4. Garden Fun – Growing flowers can be a fun task to do with little ones, showing them the importance of looking after the plants as they grow.
There are thousands of flowers out there, we could be here for a long time if we typed out every single one you could grow. So let’s be practical about this. What kind of space do you have? What style of flowers do you like? And, where do you want to grow them?
If you have a whole flower bed ready to go, a range of wild flowers would bring some colour and character to your nature garden. Or if you have hanging baskets you want to fill, look for more individual flowers like pansies. Garden centres will have sections of flowers laid out for their growing needs (bedding plants, hanging basket plants etc.), they will also offer you some advice.
Vegetables
Relatively easy vegetables to grow are:
- Peas
- Beans
- Kale
- Cucumber
- Carrots
Let’s Add Some Wildlife!
Wildlife can range from birds, to hedgehogs, to bugs and bees. Adding some into your outdoor space will take your nature garden to the next level.
Birds – Birds are lovely to sit and watch, and this can be a calming activity. There are so many different breeds in the UK, which you can cater your nature garden towards. Our suggestions below will get you off to a good start when it comes to this type of wildlife:
Bird Seed – There are lots of different birdseeds out there, all serving different purposes. Unless you are a bird expert and know exactly what the birds in your area require, stick to mixed seeds, peanuts and sunflower seeds, all of which can be quite inexpensive and easy to find in shops.
Bird Feeders – Bird feeders come in a whole variety or shapes and sizes, depending on what seed is going inside of them. For example, a bird feeder for sunflower hearts will have different sized holes compared to one for peanut granules, so make sure you know what seed you will be providing before buying a feeder. You can also buy squirrel-proof ones if they’re causing you some issues.
Bird Stands – You can buy bird feeder stands locally or online, that are perfect to hang up your feeders. Trees, sheds or any other garden structures, can also provide a good place to hang your feeders or scatter bird seed on. If you have the space, you could either make or buy a bird box to hang up too.
Hedgehogs – If you are wanting to attract hedgehogs in your nature garden then you need to make sure you’re not causing more harm than good. Remember they come out of hibernation in the spring, so have a think about the below:
Food – The main source of natural food for a hedgehog is insects, such as earthworms and beetles. If you cannot provide a garden where insects will thrive, then you can look at alternatives like meat-based cat or dog food, cat biscuits, or a specially-made hedgehog food.
Shelter – You can make your garden hedgehog friendly with a shelter, which can either be purchased or made yourself. Make sure you put your shelter in a spot that is not directly in the sun, is sheltered from the wind, and is somewhere peaceful.
If you want to catch your garden guests during the night, you could look into installing an action camera.
Butterflies, Bugs & Bees – Attracting bees and butterflies is vital for a thriving nature garden, they are the key to pollination and play vital parts in the food chain. You can cater to their needs by creating them a nice flower patch.
You can buy or make shelters (also known as hotels) for the bugs, bees and butterflies, which are perfect for attracting wildlife with a safe space for them to settles and thrive. It’s important that we help support these organisms to live and survive as their habitats are constantly at risk. Ideas and how-to guides can be found all over the web, or your local garden centre should have some bits and pieces to get you started.
For a more in-depth approach to wildlife, check out the Woodland Trust’s website. As the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity, they have articles on near enough anything wildlife based.
Let’s Add Somewhere To Relax!
Now that you have your nature garden in full swing it’s time to think about you and your needs. There are multiple assets you can add to your garden to either make it more practical, or relaxing, check out our suggestions below:
Shed – If you have acquired gardening equipment and now need somewhere to store it, a garden shed is the perfect storage solution for you. Dunster House provides a whole range of different designs, so there will be something for your needs. Check out our blog on How to Choose the Right Garden Storage Shed.
Summer House – A Summer House is the ultimate garden building to relax in and watch your nature garden come to life. It is a lovely spot to read the newspaper on a warm afternoon, could be a refreshment base when you’re busy pottering about the garden, or somewhere to sit and plan next season’s fruit and veg growing. You can be as creative as you like with how you use a summer house.
Greenhouse – If you are serious about your plants and want to ensure you can grow all-year round, a greenhouse is ideal for you. There are many benefits including weather protection, humidity and temperature control.
Seating Area – Not having the space for a garden building doesn’t mean you have to miss out on relaxing in your beautiful nature garden. A nice space to add some garden seating furniture is all you need. You can decorate the area with your plants, or even add a beautiful wooden garden structure as a statement piece.
That wraps up our suggestions on how to create the perfect nature garden. You can be as creative as you like when it comes to growing plants, attracting the wildlife and having a nice spot to relax.
If your nature garden features a Dunster House asset, make sure you send us some photos!
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