Wilder Gardening in Somerset

How wildlife friendly is your garden?

In order to gain a plaque, you need to demonstrate you are making an effort to welcome wildlife in different ways by including features from each of the sections below. The number of features you need depends on the size of your garden: mini (5 features), small (10 features), medium (15 features), large (20 features). Awards may take up to 4 months to arrive and you need to provide your full address.

Please note that Wildlife Garden plaques are only available to Somerset addresses (excluding Bristol and BANES). If you’re outside of Somerset please try these schemes instead:

Dorset Wildlife Trust Garden Champion Scheme

Devon Wildlife Trust Wildlife Gardening Award

Avon Wildlife Trust Grow Wilder project

Find your local Wildlife Trust

Please check all the features you have in your garden:

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* 1. What kind of garden do you care for?

Do you look after a churchyard or burial ground? Check out our Wilder Churches scheme here instead.
Do you have an Allotment plot? Apply for our Allotment Award instead.

School grounds

Community Garden or allotment

Private garden

Other (please specify)

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* 2. Approximate size of your garden, length and width:

Mini e.g. balcony, courtyard, patio or window box

Small: up to 50m2 in total

Medium: over 50m2 up to 150m2

Large: over 150m2 or with an extra area (e.g. orchard or meadow)

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* 3. Section 1 - WILDLIFE FRIENDLY MANAGMENT
There are lots of actions you can take to manage your garden in a way which minimises harmful environmental impacts, and promotes long term benefits for wildlife both in your garden and beyond.

Go peat free – check all compost and pot plants

Leave perennials and/or seedheads standing until spring

Leave some lawn to grow longer over spring and summer

Leave areas of leaf litter, brash or log piles over winter for hedgehogs and invertebrates

Go chemical free – protect your soil and go easy on “prey” pest such as greenfly and slugs

Look after your soil – practice the no dig method, and compost garden & kitchen waste

Avoid cutting back hedges or vegetation during breeding season (March-September)

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* 4. Section 2: FOOD
This section is about how much food your garden provides for wildlife throughout the year.

Bird feeders - e.g. seeds, nuts and fat balls.

Nectar rich flowers (not "double flowered")

Shrubs and trees with nuts and berries

Flowers, fruit and seeds available throughout the year

Night opening/scented flowers for insects (and bats)

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* 5. Section 3: SHELTER
This section is about whether your garden provides safe places for wildlife to live, hide and hibernate.

Plant creepers on vertical surfaces or trellis

Dead wood - log piles or big tree stumps

Bird, bat, bug or hedgehog box

At least one mature tree

Features for reptiles to bask or use as hibernacula e.g. stone piles or tin sheets

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* 6. Section 4: WATER
Does your garden help to preserve water resources and provide water for wildlife to drink and as a habitat?

Rain garden – slow the flow

Wildlife pond (can be large or small) - without fish

Bog garden - or permanently wet area

Provide bird bath, bumblebee watering station or other small area of water for wildlife to drink and wash

Save water – e.g. use water butts

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* 7. Section 5 - CONNECTIONS and CORRIDORS
This section is about how joined up your garden is with neighbours gardens and the wider landscape, helping wildlife to move and thrive.

Provide a gap in the fence or wall for hedgehogs

Mixed native hedge (or "fedge" by covering your fences with climbing vegetation)

Minimise light pollution for bats

Proximity to a stream or other waterbody

Encourage your neighbours – talk to them, use signs or open your garden as part of Somerset’s Wilder Open Gardens scheme

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* 8. YOUR DETAILS - please provide your FULL address if you would like to receive a Wildlife Garden plaque and/or wish to hear more from us in the future.

Name

Address

Postcode

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* 9. Please tick the boxes that confirm how you would like to hear from us.

We promise to never sell your details to other organisations. Please note, if you do not tick any of the boxes we may not be able to share with you details of our work that may be of interest. You can change your communication preferences at any time’ by emailing us at membership@somersetwildlife.org or by calling us on 01823 652429. To find out how we use and protect your personal data and your rights, please see our Privacy Policy.

I would like to Join the Wilder Gardening group to receive quarterly gardening updates.

I would like to sign up to the Team Wilder enews - for monthly updates on training, grants, wildlife recording and community action.

I am interested in finding out more about receiving a personalised gardening advice visit

I am interested in finding out more about opening my garden as part of the Wilder Open Garden scheme

I would like to sign up to the SWT monthly enews for updates on the Trusts work.

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* 10. Please use this comment box to tell us about anything you are particularly proud of or interesting wildlife sightings in your garden:

We may use your anonymised comments to inspire others on our website, social media or e-news.

Wilder Gardening in Somerset

How wildlife friendly is your garden?

Question Title

* 1. What kind of garden do you care for?Do you look after a churchyard or burial ground? Check out our Wilder Churches scheme here instead.Do you have an Allotment plot? Apply for our Allotment Award instead.

Question Title

* 2. Approximate size of your garden, length and width:

Question Title

* 3. Section 1 - WILDLIFE FRIENDLY MANAGMENTThere are lots of actions you can take to manage your garden in a way which minimises harmful environmental impacts, and promotes long term benefits for wildlife both in your garden and beyond.

Question Title

* 4. Section 2: FOODThis section is about how much food your garden provides for wildlife throughout the year.

Question Title

* 5. Section 3: SHELTERThis section is about whether your garden provides safe places for wildlife to live, hide and hibernate.

Question Title

* 6. Section 4: WATERDoes your garden help to preserve water resources and provide water for wildlife to drink and as a habitat?

Question Title

* 7. Section 5 - CONNECTIONS and CORRIDORSThis section is about how joined up your garden is with neighbours gardens and the wider landscape, helping wildlife to move and thrive.

Question Title

* 8. YOUR DETAILS - please provide your FULL address if you would like to receive a Wildlife Garden plaque and/or wish to hear more from us in the future.

Question Title

Question Title

* 10. Please use this comment box to tell us about anything you are particularly proud of or interesting wildlife sightings in your garden:We may use your anonymised comments to inspire others on our website, social media or e-news.

* 1. What kind of garden do you care for?

Do you look after a churchyard or burial ground? Check out our Wilder Churches scheme here instead.
Do you have an Allotment plot? Apply for our Allotment Award instead.

* 3. Section 1 - WILDLIFE FRIENDLY MANAGMENT
There are lots of actions you can take to manage your garden in a way which minimises harmful environmental impacts, and promotes long term benefits for wildlife both in your garden and beyond.

* 4. Section 2: FOOD
This section is about how much food your garden provides for wildlife throughout the year.

* 5. Section 3: SHELTER
This section is about whether your garden provides safe places for wildlife to live, hide and hibernate.

* 6. Section 4: WATER
Does your garden help to preserve water resources and provide water for wildlife to drink and as a habitat?

* 7. Section 5 - CONNECTIONS and CORRIDORS
This section is about how joined up your garden is with neighbours gardens and the wider landscape, helping wildlife to move and thrive.

* 10. Please use this comment box to tell us about anything you are particularly proud of or interesting wildlife sightings in your garden:

We may use your anonymised comments to inspire others on our website, social media or e-news.