RSPB Gardening for Wildlife

Many people know the RSPB for its high profile projects – looking after great swathes of nature reserves, battling to save flagship species like albatrosses or Red Kites, or knocking on the doors of government to remind our politicians that nature matters.

But the RSPB is also deeply interested in those little oases we call gardens. No wonder – the total area of all those gardens in the UK is estimated to be about 400,000 hectares. That’s about three times the size of all the land the RSPB manages. So imagine if just one in three gardens were looked after with wildlife in mind – it would effectively double the area of our nature reserves.

Now gardens will never be important places for Capercaillies or Bitterns, those charismatic species that need wild and rare habitats. Nor will gardens ever support Skylarks and Corn Buntings, which is where the RSPB’s championing of a healthy countryside comes in.

But that doesn’t matter. Gardens are proving to be important habitats in their own right that, if managed well, can be a perfect home for declining birds such as House Sparrows and Starlings.

Much as we’d like to, the RSPB can’t deploy real-life wardens into all those gardens. But we can do the next best thing and provide you with all the advice you need. That’s where this book comes in, and also our Give Nature a Home campaign, our online advice service. To find our more about RSPB Give Nature a Home, or to register to get your free online advice, go to rspb.org.uk/homes or visit www.rspb.org.uk/plan to get tailored advice for your garden.

You can help us too through Big Garden Birdwatch. Half a million people each year count their garden birds for an hour in the last weekend in January, giving us a powerful snapshot of how they are faring.

And there are now some lovely RSPB gardens to visit on some of our reserves, such as the Chris Beardshaw-designed garden at Saltholme, or the tranquil visitor centre garden at Rainham Marshes.

The RSPB is what it is because of its members – over a million voices for nature. With your support – as members, as campaigners, as customers of our bird care products, and, of course, as wildlife gardeners – together we can give nature a home.

If you would like to know more about The RSPB, visit the website at www.rspb.org.uk or write to: The RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, SG 19 2DL; 01767 680551.

The RSPB and SITA Environmental Trust’s prize-winning garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, which was designed to provide great homes for wildlife.