Wilder Gardening

Temperatures in March can still fall well below zero at night, so invertebrates such as earthworms, green shieldbug, beetles and caterpillars may still be taking shelter. Garden birds will have eaten all but the last of the berries, and with less invertebrate food available, they can often go hungry, just at a time when they need to be in good condition for breeding, so continue to feed birds calorie-rich food such as sunflower hearts, fat balls and suet nibbles.

March is the key month for breeding amphibians. Frogs start breeding first, laying clumps of jelly-like spawn at the pond edge, joined by toads a couple of weeks later. Toads tend to breed in larger ponds than frogs, and are more likely to return to 'ancestral' pond sites. They lay 'ribbons' of spawn around the stems of submerged plant such as marsh marigold. Finally, newts return to ponds - shine a light into the water at night to see males performing a courtship dance to woo females. Female newts wrap eggs individually in leaves of marginal plants such as water forget-me-not and brooklime.

Learn more about hoverflies and how to help them this spring in this new booklet created in partnership with the RHS for the Wild About Gardens campaign. From their four-stage life cycle to migration and mimicry, there's so much to discover about these two-winged wonders. The booklet also includes spotting sheets for adults and larvae, as well as guides to making a pollinator planter and hoverfly lagoon.

Download your guide

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!

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...