Creating Shelter For Wildlife In A Winter Garden

Your garden might play host to a whole menagerie’s worth of animals, from the smallest of critters to the fattest of foxes. And when you think about how we, as people, fare in the winter months, your mind might turn to images of cold fox pups and starving chicks out in the snow… It’s not a nice thing to think about! 

But don’t fret, there are a few things you can do about this image! A bit of time and effort of your own making and you could craft some shelter for the wildlife in your back garden. So, start with the ideas below to get you into the swing of things, and be sure to do your own research as well to make sure you’re setting up these shelters properly!

Start With The Bees

You should always start with the bees that visit your garden, simply because they are the most crucial part of the delicate ecosystem you have out there. And there’s a lot you can do for bees. Because it’s not just honey bees, with a hive back home, that visit your garden; there are such creatures known as solitary bees too, and they need your help! 

For starters, you could build them a B&B. It might take a bit of time and energy to put together, but using bits of wood you have laying around in the garden, as well as hollow bamboo, you can make a little hotel for solitary bees to use during the winter.

Hang Up A Nest For Birds

Birds are always going to be around, no matter what season it is. Even when a lot of birds are migrating south for the warmer weather, you’re still going to see winter species outside in the trees! Birds like Robins, Blue Tits, Blackcaps, Redwings etc., are all potentially spotted in our back gardens, so why not build them a bit of shelter? 

There are quite a few already built bird boxes out there, but you could still make some yourself! Wouldn’t it be nice to see birds nesting in a box you spent a lot of time and love crafting, and then come the spring, you’ll hear the cheep of little chicks inside it too! 

Think About The Frogs

And finally, you could also build a bit of shelter for frogs too. They’re a lot more common in our gardens than you might first think, especially if you have a pond out there! No matter how big or small your water feature is, a frog and their tadpoles might have settled in and called it their home already. 

Upturning a plant pot, or putting a small rock underneath the rim, can act as a wonderful place for frogs to shelter, especially near the wetland you have in your garden. You might also find some bees in there too, at some point… 

If you like the idea of promoting wildlife in your garden, protect them over winter.

*Disclosure – This is a collaborative post