Getting started

If you haven't tried growing your own fruit and vegetables before and you have no idea what flowers attract bees and butterflies to your garden, don't worry. We are here to help. Many of us are used to trimming hedges, weeding beds and cutting grass to keep gardens tidy. Small changes can create space for nature to grow a little bit wilder.

Find out how well you're already doing, with our Wildlife Gardening Survey here. It will give you top tips, tailored to your results, and help you take the next step!

For some quick, easy changes, why not leave a small patch of grass to grow long to see what wildflowers come up or put a flower pot on the patio for growing strawberries, so they are within easy reach for watering and picking when ripe. There is so much information about gardening available that it can be overwhelming, so we will try to keep it simple to get you started. 

This year, our Wild About Gardens campaign in association with the RHS is focusing on some very surprising unsung heroes - slugs and snails! There are many different types and most of them aren't interested in your lettuces at all. In fact, they're vital for making good compost, for cleaning up decaying matter, and they make tasty snacks for birds and other wildlife too. Why not find out how to make friends with molluscs here?

And check out our blog, all about planning your garden or growing space, here.

Don't be put off if you haven't got a garden. Could you take advantage of a window ledge and plant up a window box instead? Or even better, if you've a balcony, start your container garden today! There's loads of people out there to take inspiration from, doing just that.

There are plenty of fantastic communities out there, connecting up to grow food and help nature at the same time. Why not have a look to see if there's one near you? Or you could even have a go at setting up one yourself! Incredible Edible and The Wildlife Trusts' Nextdoor Nature can provide support and advice to help you get started. And why not find your local Women's Institute and discover what support they can offer? Garden Organic have groups and events all over the UK - find out more here.