Helping Garden Wildlife Through Winter

Feeding is straightforward but worth getting right. Meaty cat or dog food, or a specialist hedgehog food, is a better choice than bread and milk, which can cause digestive upset. A shallow dish of fresh water left out overnight is just as useful as food, particularly during dry spells in summer.

Easy access matters most. A shallow, gently sloping edge lets amphibians move in and out of the water without difficulty, while steep, hard-edged ponds can be surprisingly difficult for them to use. Nearby damp, shady spots, a log pile or a compost heap close to the pond, give them somewhere to shelter and hibernate once they leave the water for the colder months.

Winter is one of the harder seasons for garden wildlife. Natural food becomes scarce, cold weakens smaller animals quickly, and many species rely on undisturbed shelter to see them through to spring rather than active foraging.

Building a planting scheme with wildlife garden products in mind alongside the usual food and shelter provisions rounds out the picture. A well-stocked feeding station, including a reliable source of bumblebee food, complements planting choices particularly well during gaps in flowering.

Placement decides whether the house gets used at all. A fixed position at around waist to head height, facing south or south-east to catch the morning sun, and sheltered from driving rain and strong wind, gives insects the stable conditions they need. Once occupied, the house is best left undisturbed through the nesting and overwintering period.

Birds need consistent feeding through frosty spells, when natural food sources are hardest to find and energy demands are highest. Keeping feeders topped up, and providing water that is not frozen over, matters more in a hard frost than at almost any other point in the year; a small area gently melted with warm water is a better approach than breaking ice by force.