Professional Garden Design in York, Harrogate, Beverley & Beyond.
How we build biodiversity into your garden
Pollinator Planting
Native and near native species
Right plant, right place
A great way to start thinking about increasing biodiversity in your garden is by considering the plants on offer. This is usually where we begin. Bees, butterflies, and hoverflies need a steady source of nectar and pollen right through the seasons. We carefully choose plants that flower at different times and attract different pollinators. We also consider the opportunities to provide food source for birds through selection of grasses and seedheads that double up as winter interest.
Right plant, right place
Native and near native species
Right plant, right place
This principle runs through everything we do. A plant that’s matched to its conditions, the right soil, the right light, the right exposure establishes faster, lives longer, and supports more wildlife than one that’s constantly struggling. It’s better for the garden and better for the environment around it.
Native and near native species
Native and near native species
Native and near native species
We’re not purists about this. Some non native plants are excellent for pollinators, and we’ll use them where they earn their place. But where a native species does the same job and supports more of the local wildlife, that’s the one we’ll recommend. Native hedgerow species like hawthorn, blackthorn, and wild rose are incredibly valuable for nesting birds and overwintering insects.
Water for wildlife
Seasonal interest and seed heads
Native and near native species
Adding water is one of the simplest ways to make a garden more wildlife-friendly. It brings in birds and insects as well as contributing to the feel of the space too. That might be a small pond, a simple basin, or something more architectural. We believe that even the smallest feature can have an impact.
Meadow areas and long grass
Seasonal interest and seed heads
Seasonal interest and seed heads
If there’s room, letting parts of the garden grow a little longer creates habitat you just don’t get from a closely mown lawn. We often design these areas so they feel intentional rather than neglected, with mown paths through longer grass and a clear transition between formal and informal planting.
Seasonal interest and seed heads
Seasonal interest and seed heads
Seasonal interest and seed heads
We think about your garden in every season, not just summer. Leaving flowers to go to seed in autumn provides vital food for birds through winter. Ornamental grasses left standing give structure when everything else has died back. It’s a small shift in how you manage the garden, but it makes a real difference to what visits.
