Build a Willdlife Stack

Bug Box
A bug box will encourage beneficial insects into the garden, but what about thinking a bit bigger?

If you’re one of those people who loves scavenging for useful things, or has a pile of interesting odds and ends stashed away for future projects, then you could think about recycling them into a 5 star wildlife hotel.

There are lots of products on the market to encourage wildlife into your garden – from bird and bat boxes, to bug boxes and houses for hedgehogs and frogs. You can also make your own easily enough, and encourage beneficial insects into the garden. Even a pile of logs in a shady corner will bring wildlife into your garden – as will a compost heap.

But if you want to make wildlife a big feature in your garden then it pays to think a little bit bigger – and make a multipurpose wildlife stack that caters to all kinds of creatures. They’re really attractive, and will be interesting for kids, too. All you need to do is collect a variety of materials and stack them up – it’s like a wildlife skyscraper.

If you can get your hands on a couple of pallets, then they make a great base stucture and easily define several layers. Offcuts of wood and bricks to space them out have the same effect. A layer of bricks at the bottom gives you a good solid base and makes a damp habitat for frogs and toads.

If you drill holes into the solid blocks of wood in your pallets (or into wood offcuts) then you are incorporating homes for beneficial insects (like ladybirds and solitary bees). Fill spaces with bundles of twigs, or hollow stems like bamboo to make more crevices. Straw and dry grass and air bricks are also great.

Try and think creatively – pine cones stuffed into gaps, pebbles and tiles to make a stony habitat and even rolled up corrugated carboard can all find a place. Ridge tiles and terracotta flowerpots add decorative and useful touches, and add structure.

You’ll need a waterproof layer at the top to stop everything getting drenched, but if you’ve got green fingers then you might even be able to put a green roof of sedum plants on the top

You can scale your stack to the size of the garden, and use the materials you have to hand, so it needn’t cost a penny. And you don’t have to hide it out of sight, because it can be a really attractive feature.

For inspiration, have a look at the RSPB’s wildlife stack that featured at BBC Gardeners’ World Live 2008.

Posted 12 March 2009, 16:35.  

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