stop the loss of biodiversity it is one of the most valuable eco-friendly functions that gardens can fulfill. If designed and maintained properly, they become authentic shelters for the flora Y fauna autochthonous.
But not only that, because if we do what is necessary, both public parks and private gardens will become strongholds of life wild that will serve as a place of passage for birds and insects on their migratory journey.
But how to get it? What do we have to do to make our garden a paradise of biodiversity? In this post we give you some tips practical to achieve it easily by adding simple actions that are within our reach.
Welcome, birds and pollinators
Attracting birds and pollinating insects should be one of the main objectives for a garden that seeks biodiversity. Not in vain, bees, bumblebees and butterflies, hummingbirds, among other pollinators, are key elements for the balance of ecosystems.
When choosing one or another plant, keep in mind that it is the color that mainly attracts them. Let’s choose local species and place them together.
Grouping them by species and colors will make their work easier. For example, butterflies are attracted to purple flowers, while bees prefer white, yellow and bluish tones.
Lavender, thyme, daisies, roses, wallflowers, tulips, dandelions, laurel, sage, clovers… and let’s give them care free of pesticides and chemicals in general. As can be seen, the list includes plants of increase spontaneouswhat we so often call weeds.
Organic gardening, in fact, is an essential requirement for our garden to be attractive to them. Or, what is the same, to provide them with the nectar and pollen they need for their survival.
On the other hand, attracting birds requires a series of attentions. From placing a small fountain where they can bathe and drink to the typical canary feeders and little houses that act as nests.
An ecosystem in balance
In turn, we have to make it easy for other insects and small mammals, always within a balanced ecosystem. Precisely, this balance is the great advantage of attracting biodiversity.
On the one hand, we get a ecosystem healthy, in which pests do not usually proliferate. Although it is true that insect pests can be a problem at first, when the ecosystem develops they are minimized.
If it occurs, the ecosystem should regulate it, and if it does not, we could apply biological controls so as not to affect pollinators and other beneficial insects. Avoiding chemical solutions is possible, either through the use of neem oil, homemade solutions ranging from crushed eggshells, coffee grounds, citrus peel, vinegar or soapy water, for example.
Using natural compost, mulching the soil, or leaving areas where wild grasses (known as weeds) can grow as they please help encourage biodiversity.
What plants to put?
think about the pollinators, amphibians, mammals and birds is important when choosing plants and trees. If we want to attract squirrels, pine trees will be an excellent choice, although theirs is to try to combine the choice of local species, if possible threatened or in danger of extinction, and at the same time seek to attract biodiversity.
The floors local They are an optimal option if our intention is for the biodiversity to be similar to that of the area. Only in this way will we ensure that the fauna will feel more attracted.
Combining vegetation of different heights and choosing different types of soil will help us create different habitats.
Create shelters under the stones
In this sense, the stones give a lot of game. Placed on the ground, forming paths, using them as dividers or stacking them, they are an interesting way of encouraging small animals, such as salamanders, beetles and others, to carry out their beneficial activity on a regular basis.
Whether they are flat or rock-like stones, they are a perfect material to decorate and promote biodiversity. We can also use them to border ponds or to create a special space in a rustic style.
Succulent plants, which require little watering and are very simple care will help prevent soil erosion. Together with the stones, they will create a suitable living space for these little animals to swarm at their free will.
Finally, the tiles also perform this same function. As can be seen in the image above, a minimum of soil or substrate will suffice for plants of very different kinds to grow. Together with the dry leaves and the nooks and crannies of the tiles themselves, they will give us a perfect place for bichines.
Why put a pond?
Building a pond is a form decorative really effective in achieving biodiversity in our garden. A plant and animal variety that can range from amphibians to local aquatic plants.
Above all, let us avoid turning the pond in a kind of fish tank or ornamental fountain, in which aesthetics or caprice prevail. The right approach has little to do with this type of approach.
Yes, it’s true, the water lilies are very pretty, and so are the fishes of colors, but it’s not about that. Let’s find out about the aquatic fauna and flora of the area. We will soon discover that having a small pond in the garden can be an important help in saving species that are about to disappear.
If you want to read more articles similar to Turn a garden into a biodiversity paradisewe recommend that you enter our Garden Care category.
