Rewild Your Garden is an illustrated guide to bring wildlife back to your garden, often by just leaving things be. In this practical guide, horticulturalist Frances Tophill (a presenter on BBC 4’s Gardener’s World) shows how to plan and maintain a beautiful garden that will attract bees, birds and a throng of unsung garden heroes. Whether you have a small balcony or a large open space, discover the joys of welcoming natural ecosystems back to your garden.
Make your garden safe for pets. Ensure ponds have sloping sides for wildlife to easily enter/exit. Netting can trap wildlife and birds (especially with larger holes). Just share a little food with wildlife. Or use fruit protection bags (after pollination) or wildlife-friendly fruit protection nets.
Frances Tophill is a horticulturalist, broadcaster and passionate conservationist. She was raised in Kent and studied horticulture at Royal Botanica Gardens, and after working as a gardener on private estates and for community-based projects, has presented BBC Gardener’s world for several years.
Patch of the Planet offers an online course ’10 Steps to a Nature Garden’ with e-books and video tutorials’ to create a thriving environment for you, wildlife and the planet, with support from a passionate online community. The course is run by a couple who specialise in ecological garden design and permaculture.
an illustrated guide to sustainable gardening
Planting with Nature is a beautiful book on how we can support local wildlife and tackle the climate crisis, through gardening. The book includes tips on planting nectar-rich borders, native hedgerows, trees and wildflower meadows, plus rain gardens, green roofs and ponds. Together with providing homes for birds, mammals, amphibians, bees and insects, you’ll find new ways to grow food, and make your own compost (keep fresh compost away from pets).
Kirsty Wilson is Garden Manager at Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh and appears on BBC Radio 4 Gardener’s Question Time as a panellist. She is also an award-winning garden designer and photographer. Illustrator Hazel France trained as a horticulturalist at Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.
how a naturalist created a wildlife haven
Second Nature is the story of how an award-winning gardener created a wildlife oasis from a patch of untended ground, with help from her husband and friends. Tucked away in a hidden valley, England, this place is now buzzing with wildlife due to perennials, trees, herbs, vegetables and a meadow. The space teems with life: owls and blackbirds, bats and mice, butterflies and bees – all drawn by pollen-rich flowers, ponds and nesting sites.
In this book, Susie takes us through the planning and construction of how she designed the garden, and how it blends harmoniously with the surrounding environment. From plants to shelters and habitats, every element reflects her commitment to sustainability. This account is sure to inspire and provides practical advice, as well as a sense of her deep appreciation for the natural world. And the transformative power of building an outdoor sanctuary, for all species to thrive.
Susie White is a garden and travel writer, wildlife photographer and lecturer. She also created Chesters Walled Garden on Hadrian’s Wall (Northumberland). Other interests include upland hay meadows, archaeology and the landscape/walks of the North Pennines, Northumberland and Lake District.
