How to Make a Wildlife Garden

Chris Baines

4.04 · Rating details · 28 ratings · 5 reviews

Chris Baines shows the reader how to transform his or her garden into a rich wildlife haven. He sets the wildlife garden within the context of the broader concerns of regional ecology and reveals how we can each do our bit to safeguard the habitats of important indigenous flora and fauna. A wide range of natural habitats is discussed in detail, including hedgerows, shrubbe ...more

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Paperback, 192 pages

Published January 25th 2008 by Frances Lincoln (first published October 19th 2000)

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May 16, 2013 Noodles rated it really liked it

Shelves: to-read-again, nature, garden

This book contains a wealth of practical information on wildlife gardening. But it's the writing style that makes it so appealing. This isn't a dry, horticulture-society type of book. It's very personal in how it's written, with many anecdotes about wildlife experiences the author has had in the gardens he has created. His passion for wildlife and creating suitable habitat really shines through. There are also many beautiful pictures, which adds visual appeal and helps get the point across of wh This book contains a wealth of practical information on wildlife gardening. But it's the writing style that makes it so appealing. This isn't a dry, horticulture-society type of book. It's very personal in how it's written, with many anecdotes about wildlife experiences the author has had in the gardens he has created. His passion for wildlife and creating suitable habitat really shines through. There are also many beautiful pictures, which adds visual appeal and helps get the point across of what he is trying to achieve.
Part one has three chapters which put wildlife gardening in the context of habitat changes in England over many centuries, so you really understand what (lost) natural habitats you are trying to re-create with your efforts.
Part two is about creating new wildlife habitats, with chapters on The Woodland Edge (shrubbery), Hedgerows and Climber Covered Screens, Lawns and Wildflower Meadows, and Ponds and Wetlands. There is plenty of detail about what to do and how to do it, with boxes listing suitable plants to introduce. It's not just a list of instructions, though. The whole book tries to make the reader understand what s/he is trying to achieve and why. So it helps you to plan it for yourself, instead of following a model of someone else's garden.
The last part is called Supplementing the Habitats, all about maximising the wildlife value of an existing or newly created garden. This covers planting flowers, mixing in vegetable and fruit growing, and installing bird feeders and nestboxes. There are also several chapters at the end describing the interplay of species in the garden, how to study the wildlife you've encouraged and how your new habitats fit into the broader landscape. These are all central themes of the whole book, which are returned to many times, so you understand how you are contributing to nature, and what to look for to enjoy it.
This book is quite specific to English wildlife, and is an excellent reference to return to again and again as your garden progresses. It is also an enjoyable read, giving a vivid mental picture of the results you are aiming for. ...more

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Oct 24, 2011 Ruric Amhari rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: gardening, gardening-wildlife, non-fiction

Hands on practical book for increasing wildlife presence in urban gardens.

Sections on:

Why make a wildlife garden (why wildlife, special role for gardens, planning the garden as a habitat)

Creating new habitats: shrubberies, hedgerows and climber screens, live in lawns and meadows, garden ponds and wetlands.

Supplementing the habitat: cottage garden service stations, fruit/veg & wildlife, artificial habitat boosters, propagating native plants, rich tapestry, studying widlife, ocer the garden wall.

I ...more

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Jun 14, 2020 Ruth Brumby rated it liked it

It is scary that, written in 1985, only 35 years ago, this book is dated in terms of what wildlife might come to your garden. He has spotted flycatchers and lots of hedgehogs.
There are useful plant lists and the sections on various aspects of wildlife gardeningare quite helpful.
However he tries to be funny, wants to avoid being seen as serious or eccentric, or too polemical and generally doesn't come across as a very nice person. He is a bit overenthusiastic and over optimistic.
The final chapte ...more

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Apr 24, 2019 Karen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-read-in-2019

I’ve had this book for ages but I didn’t really appreciate it until last night. It was exactly what I needed to remind me of how I could improve wildlife in our garden.

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