What To Expect From A Wildlife Gardener

Chemical Free

At Buxton Gardens, we don’t believe in using any chemicals that can harm wildlife. Even organic pesticides still kill beneficial insects, & the effects of herbicides of any kind can be detrimental to soil life or pass down the food chain.

If your garden is suffering from an invasion of detrimental insects, in the first instance we would give nature a chance to take its course by letting predators arrive.

If intervention is needed we would turn to integrated pest management – a system whereby you introduce natural predators specific to the pest, once they have done their job their numbers naturally die back.

If weeds are an issue we either weed by hand or use a weed burner which is effective on cobbles or paving where it’s difficult to get the roots out manually.

Creating Habitat

We aim to introduce as much habitat to your garden as we can, this can take a few different forms. We might leave long ornamental stems on plants over winter, rather than cutting them back as many people do – this leaves valuable overwintering spots for insects, amphibians & other small creatures.

Adding even a small area of water is a great way to encourage a host of critters, likewise creating a wildflower area can have a large impact, even in a small garden.

We plant native or other wildlife supporting plants that meet multiple different needs for local wildlife, including food, homes, breeding places, & food for babies! The best plants perform many different functions & support more than one type of creature.

We are huge advocates of mulch! Mulching your soil with compost, leaf mould or other natural materials helps to protect the soil, stabilise temperatures & feed the beneficial micro organisms that live below the ground. Soil is the very basis of a healthy garden, so supporting the soil food web is at the heart of what we do.

Sustainable Advice

We don’t keep our expertise to ourselves! We are always happy to chat with you about how to keep your garden a haven for wildlife. We believe that knowledge is power, & the more that people who care are armed with the right techniques the better our world will be.