Wilder Gardening

The garden comes alive in May when everything starts greening up and buds burst into bloom. There are still plenty of flowers and vegetables you can grow from seed. Take advantage of the warmer weather to sow outdoors directly in the soil, as well as plant out seedlings you’ve grown under cover before they get too leggy.

It’s also a key time for some of our favourite garden flowers. Harden off and gradually plant out dahlias and cosmos that have been grown under glass, which can be used to fill any gaps in the border you might have spotted. It’s a wonderful time for peonies, too, so keep an eye on your plants in case they need watering in dry weather or staking if it’s windy to protect the blooms.

There are an estimated 124,500 gardens across Somerset, along with an enormous number of allotments, green spaces, and smaller outdoor areas, all of which can act as vital spaces for nature in their own right. Collectively, they can have an even bigger impact, forming ‘stepping stone’ habitats that enable wildlife to travel from green space to green space. 

From planting pollinator-friendly flowers to creating a mini-pond or bug hotel, there are simple changes we can make to our outdoor spaces to help visiting insects, birds, amphibians, and even mammals like bats and hedgehogs.

This year we have launched 'Wilder Open Gardens', a new alternative to a ‘coffee morning fundraiser’ encouraging you to share your top gardening tips with friends and neighbours over tea and cake.

Find out more

Thank you for gardening for wildlife, every positive action you take makes a big difference. With your help, we can put nature into recovery, create more space for wildlife to thrive, and reduce the pressure on the environment. This has to be a joint effort. We all have different skills, knowledge, and experience to offer. And we’ve got resources and advice to help get you started...

Celebrate wildlife gardening and use your garden to take action to help support nature. Many of our common garden visitors – including hedgehogs, house sparrows and starlings – are increasingly under threat. But together we can make a difference. Find out how our green spaces can provide for wildlife.

Download the guide

Wilder Allotment Awards: Although allotments are mainly used for growing food, by adding in wildlife friendly plants you can create a mini-ecosystem that’s good for you and good for wildlife. Demonstrate you are making an effort to welcome wildlife in different ways and practicing environmentally friendly actions and apply for your plaque today!

Apply today!