How to create a wildlife friendly garden

Cats are curious animals and one of the many benefits of keeping your cat indoors or with access to a catio is welcoming the local wildlife into your backyard. A small home garden can be the steppingstone to and from their natural habitat. Below are a few small suggestions for your garden to help local wildlife flourish.   


Here are some ways you can create a wildlife friendly garden 

 

Plant for wildlife 


When choosing plants for your garden, consider including trees, plants and flowers that will attract native wildlife! We have an incredible 24,000 species of native plants in Australia. Native plants provide a source of food and vital habitat for our wildlife and tend to be low maintenance and require less watering than non-native plants. Logs and rocks are an important addition to your garden by acting as sunbathing sites or hiding areas for reptiles, amphibians, and spiders, and insects. By planting native plants that provide nectar, your garden can become a destination for pollinating insects such as bees to come and feed. Always obtain your logs, mulch, and rocks from a reputable supplier. They should not be sourced from bushland areas where they are already providing habitat. In natural bushland there are 5 main layers of vegetation, here are some native Australian species you can plant to create a wildlife-friendly garden. 

 

 

 

 

Layer

Description

Examples

Upper Storey

Tall trees (above 5m)

Eucalypts, large wattles (acacias)

Middle Storey

Smaller trees and tall shrubs (to 5m)

Wattles, banksias, sheoaks, tea trees, bottlebrushes, native pines

Understorey

Shrubs (0.5 to 1m)

Low wattles, correas, hop-bushes, hakeas, bush peas

Ground

Small shrubs and herbs (Below 0.5m)

 

Sedges, rushes, lilies, grasses, creepers, groundcovers, orchids, saltbushes, ferns, fungi, lichen

Litter

Ground elements that provide habitat and where animals can forage and shelter

Leaf litter, twigs, fallen branches, logs and rocks

 

 

*Please check with your local council for advice on the most appropriate plants for your area. 

Remove weeds and invasive species

Weeds and invasive plant species can damage the local ecosystem by displacing native species. To minimise the threat of weeds in your community you can learn how to identify weeds, remove them if you see them and choose to plant alternative, more wildlife friendly species. The invasive species that you should look out for differ depending on your location so we recommend checking out the grow me instead website to see what invasive species are a threat in your area and what alternatives species you can plant.

Limit the use of harmful chemicals

When maintaining your garden, avoid using harmful chemicals and pesticides that can contaminate soil and water sources. After rain, toxic chemical run off can travel downstream from your garden and negatively impact the surrounding environment and animals. By attempting to control the insects that damage your greenery, you may also be harming the native animals in the area, who eat the poisoned insects. We recommend using environmentally friendly alternatives for maintaining your garden. A safer option for pest control and cleaning is white vinegar and baking soda.



Nest Boxes

Australia’s wildlife has the highest rate of hollow dependency in the world, with twice the number of native bird species nesting in hollows compared to Europe, southern Africa and North America. Nest boxes create a small safe environment away from the elements which are a great substitute for naturally occurring hollows in trees. The box entrance should face away from the hot westerly aspect but also be positioned to avoid the wind and wet. Watching new bird families in your own backyard can be an incredibly rewarding experience but when adding these boxes into your garden ensure they are high enough to be safe from any predator.


Prevent Bird strike

There are several different ways that you can prevent birds flying into your glass windows at home. Window strike often occurs when birds can see through one window into your home and out through another. You can help prevent this by simply putting up a curtain on one or both windows or by closing a door that blocks the second window. Birds also often strike windows when they see a reflection of clouds, sky or trees which makes them think they are flying in open air. Try putting a screen or shade cloth over the window closest to bird activity to prevent reflections in the window. There are also many different window decals that can aid bird strike prevention; try hanging up sun ornaments, crystals, strips of cloth or other materials in the window. It is also a good idea to avoid hanging plants in front of windows with high bird activity as birds may fly towards the plant looking for shelter.


Frog Ponds

Frog ponds can provide a home, breeding ground and watering hole for a range of creatures including frogs, birds, and insects. Frog ponds can also provide shelter and water for birds. You may consider adding in native water vegetation to the pond to provide adequate food and shelter for the frogs. When including frog ponds into the landscape of your garden, as well as shelter, sunlight is a must for the small ecosystems to thrive.


Bird Baths

A bird bath is a safe spot for native birds to cool off, clean themselves and rehydrate. As well as nest boxes, ensure the bath is placed high enough off the ground to deter predators. Bird baths require slightly more effort as they need to be cleaned and have the water changed daily. Ensure the water inside your bath is shallow or there are twigs down the bottom so smaller birds or any insects or reptiles that get in there can climb out.


Vertical Space

If ground space is limited, don’t forget about vertical space. Converting a fence or a vertical garden box into a “living wall” it is not only fashionable but environmentally friendly, as it provides a source of food for some native animals as well as a habitat for some smaller creatures such as insects depending on the size of the garden. By filling them with pollen rich flowers, you are encouraging bees and pollinating insects into the area.


*Tips provided by RSPCA Australia’s guide to Keeping Your Cat Safe and Happy at Home.

 

For more information on creating a wildlife friendly garden, visit our website at safecat.org.au

Do you have a wildlife friendly background? Share your photos with us! Email [email protected]