You don’t need acres of countryside to make a difference to wildlife. Sometimes, all it takes is a few planters, an old sink and a willingness to let nature move in.

That’s exactly what’s happening in Faringdon, Oxfordshire, where residents of Oakwood House and children from a local primary school have worked together to turn underused communal spaces into thriving wildlife-friendly gardens.

The project, featured in a recent Community First Oxfordshire article, includes pollinator-friendly plants, recycled wooden planters, a wildlife water feature made from an old sink and a large insect hotel.

It’s a wonderful example of smaller-scale urban rewilding in action. And with autumn underway, it’s also a useful reminder that now is an excellent time to prepare our gardens, balconies and community spaces for wildlife.

Here are five practical ways to get started.

1. Leave the leaves (at least some of them)

Best for: Gardens, courtyards and shared green spaces.

One of the easiest ways to support wildlife this autumn is to do a little less tidying. Fallen leaves provide shelter for insects, spiders and other invertebrates, while hedgehogs may use piles of leaves as nesting material. As leaves decompose, they also help enrich the soil.

What to do this October:

• Rake leaves off paths and lawns where necessary, but move some into garden borders or beneath hedges.

• Create a small leaf pile in a quiet, sheltered corner.

• Leave some dead plant stems standing over winter to provide insect habitat.

Avoid piling leaves over delicate plants or blocking drainage. The aim isn’t to abandon your garden, just to make a little more room for nature.

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2. Plant now for spring pollinators

Best for: Balconies, window boxes, patios and small gardens.

Autumn is a great time to plant spring-flowering bulbs. These can provide valuable nectar and pollen for early-emerging insects when relatively few other flowers are available. Even a few containers can help.

What to do this October:

• Plant crocuses and grape hyacinths in pots or borders.

• Choose single-flowered varieties that allow pollinators to reach the flowers.

• Use peat-free compost and containers with drainage holes.

• Consider native spring-flowering plants such as primroses for suitable shady spaces.

• Plant bulbs at the recommended depth and check that your chosen species are appropriate for your local conditions.

The Oxfordshire project demonstrates how carefully chosen plants can support wildlife in both sunny courtyards and shady corners.

3. Build a wildlife shelter from recycled materials

Best for: Gardens, patios and communal outdoor spaces.

Wildlife needs somewhere to shelter, especially as temperatures fall. At Oakwood House, volunteers created a large bug hotel using their gardening skills and recycled materials. You can achieve something similar on a much smaller scale.

What to do this October:

• Gather untreated wood, hollow stems and dry natural materials.

• Create a small, sheltered pile of logs and twigs.

• Leave hollow plant stems standing rather than cutting everything back.

• Place your shelter somewhere relatively dry and protected from disturbance.

For solitary bees, purpose-built nesting tubes need careful design and regular maintenance. A simple log pile or undisturbed patch of vegetation can be an easier starting point. And remember: the best wildlife habitat isn’t always the tidiest. Nature tends to appreciate a little organised chaos.

4. Add a wildlife-friendly water source

Best for: Almost any outdoor space, including balconies.

Birds, insects and small mammals all need access to water, including during autumn and winter. The Oxfordshire community demonstrated a creative solution by transforming an old sink into a wildlife water feature. You don’t need anything quite so ambitious.

What to do this October:

• Place a shallow dish of clean water in a sheltered outdoor location.

• Add a few stones so insects can land and escape safely.

• Refresh the water regularly and clean the container.

• If creating a pond, provide gently sloping edges or secure escape routes for wildlife.

Even a small water source can be a useful addition to a wildlife-friendly space.

5. Turn rewilding into a community activity

Best for: Shared gardens, apartment buildings, schools and neighbourhoods.

Perhaps the most inspiring part of the Faringdon project isn’t just the wildlife gardening. It’s the people involved. Older residents and primary school children worked together to design, plant and improve their communal spaces. The project has helped residents build friendships and establish a gardening group that will continue looking after the space.

How to start something similar:

• Identify an overlooked outdoor area in your neighbourhood.

• Speak with neighbours, residents’ associations or local community groups.

• Start with one manageable activity, such as planting bulbs or creating a wildlife corner.

• Involve children and older residents in planning and planting.

• Agree who will maintain the space and how it will be cared for throughout the year.

Always get permission before making changes to communal or public land.

A small project can create a lasting habitat while bringing neighbours together around something positive.

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How LettsSafari helps you make a bigger difference

At LettsSafari, we believe that bringing nature back shouldn’t be complicated or reserved for people with large gardens and plenty of time. Small actions at home are a great starting point. But we also know that wildlife needs connected habitats and healthy ecosystems beyond our own back gardens. That’s why LettsSafari combines practical advice for everyday rewilding with subscriptions that help fund nature recovery projects in Devon. Our approach makes it easier for people to contribute to rewilding in two complementary ways:

Rewild where you live. Create wildlife-friendly spaces in gardens, balconies and local communities using simple, accessible ideas.

Support wider nature recovery. Become a LettsSafari subscriber and help fund practical rewilding efforts that restore habitats and support biodiversity.

Our subscription model links collective participation to tangible environmental commitments, including tree planting, wildlife support and the ambition to create new nature parks as membership grows. You don’t have to choose between helping wildlife at home and supporting the restoration of larger natural spaces. You can do both.

And sometimes, the biggest change starts in the smallest corner.

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Burgess Park is one of South London’s largest green spaces, stretching across Camberwell, Walworth and Peckham. It’s a place to walk, cycle, meet friends or spend some time looking out for local wildlife.

But there’s more to the park than its open lawns.

A home for urban wildlife

The park has a mix of habitats, including a lake, meadows, woodland and wetland areas. These support a range of wildlife, from water birds and bats to dragonflies and other insects.

The lake is a good place to start. Look out for mallards, coots and swans on the water, and keep an eye out for bats feeding nearby. Around the reeds and ponds, you might spot dragonflies during the warmer months.

These smaller habitats are important in a city where wildlife has to share space with roads, buildings and busy streets.

A park with a history

Burgess Park hasn’t always been a green space. It was developed over several decades after the Second World War, on land that once held homes, factories, streets and part of the Grand Surrey Canal. The park gradually took shape as these areas were cleared and joined together.

Today, it provides a large area of accessible green space for the surrounding community, alongside places for sport, gardening and recreation.

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Make a visit

Next time you’re in South London, take a walk around the lake and explore some of the park’s quieter nature areas. Visit at different times of year and you’ll notice how the wildlife and habitats change with the seasons.

You don’t need to travel far out of London to find nature. Sometimes, it’s right in the middle of your local park.

📍 Burgess Park, Southwark, London

Have you spotted any wildlife here? Let us know what you’ve seen!

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An eight-year study by the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme has revealed that many plants commonly dismissed as weeds are among the most attractive to bees, butterflies, hoverflies and other pollinating insects.

The surprising winner? Common ivy.

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According to research reported by The Guardian on 14 October 2026, ivy attracted an average of 22 insect visits during each ten-minute survey, ahead of hogweed, bramble, buddleia and other familiar garden plants.

It’s a useful reminder that what we consider untidy can be incredibly valuable to wildlife. And with October well underway, now is an excellent time to put this knowledge into practice.

Why ordinary garden plants matter for pollinators

Pollinators need reliable sources of nectar and pollen throughout their active seasons. While colourful summer flowers often receive most of our attention, food can become harder to find as temperatures fall.

That’s where some of our most familiar plants come into their own.

Ivy flowers in autumn, providing nectar and pollen when many other plants have stopped flowering. Its berries subsequently feed birds during winter, while its evergreen leaves provide shelter throughout the year.

Bramble produces flowers that attract insects during summer, followed by blackberries that feed birds and mammals. Its dense growth also creates valuable nesting and hiding places.

Thistles and knapweeds provide nectar and pollen for a variety of insects, while their seeds offer food for birds.

Buddleia, often called the butterfly bush, is particularly attractive to butterflies and moths. However, some varieties spread readily, so gardeners should manage self-seeding carefully.

The message is clear: gardens and small urban green spaces can play an important role in supporting pollinator populations.

Five simple ways to rewild your garden this October

The good news is that helping pollinators doesn’t require a large garden, an expensive planting scheme or even much gardening experience.

Here are five practical things you can do this month.

1. Let your ivy flower

If you’ve got ivy growing along a fence, wall or boundary, consider leaving a section untouched. Mature ivy produces small greenish-yellow flowers during autumn, attracting bees, hoverflies, butterflies and other insects. Avoid cutting flowering growth back in October unless it’s causing a problem. If you’re concerned about ivy spreading, keep it under control while allowing some mature stems to flower.

October action: Find one patch of flowering ivy and leave it undisturbed through autumn.

2. Leave a corner a little wild

Rather than tidying every corner of your garden, designate a small area where plants can grow more naturally. Allowing suitable native wildflowers, grasses and existing vegetation to develop can provide food and shelter for insects. You don’t need to abandon your garden. A small, managed wild patch can sit comfortably alongside lawns, flower beds and outdoor seating areas.

October action: Choose one square metre of garden to manage primarily for wildlife rather than appearance.

3. Don’t clear every fallen leaf

Autumn leaves are often treated as garden waste, but they provide shelter for insects and other small creatures during winter. Instead of bagging everything up, collect leaves from lawns and paths and move them into sheltered corners or beneath shrubs. As the leaves break down, they also help improve the soil.

October action: Create a small leaf pile beneath a hedge or shrub, somewhere it won’t blow away or become waterlogged.

4. Leave some seed heads and stems standing

It’s tempting to cut back every fading flower at the end of summer. However, standing stems, seed heads and dried vegetation can provide food and shelter for wildlife during colder months. Some insects spend winter inside hollow plant stems or among dead vegetation, while seed-eating birds benefit from plants left standing.

October action: Leave a selection of healthy perennial stems and seed heads untouched until spring.

5. Think beyond the garden fence

Not everyone has a garden, but almost everyone can find a small opportunity to support urban nature. A balcony planter, window box, shared courtyard or community garden can provide valuable resources for insects. Choose a mixture of wildlife-friendly plants that flower at different times of year, prioritising species suited to your space and local conditions. Even a few containers can contribute to a wider network of urban habitats.

October action: Plan one additional wildlife-friendly container or planting area for next spring.

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Small spaces, bigger impact: How LettsSafari helps

At LettsSafari, we believe that rewilding shouldn’t be limited to large nature reserves or remote landscapes. It can begin in gardens, on balconies and in the overlooked corners of our towns and cities. Our approach combines practical action at home with support for rewilding projects in the British countryside. Through a LettsSafari subscription, individuals can contribute to nature restoration while learning how to make their own outdoor spaces more welcoming to wildlife.

Our subscription model connects collective support to measurable rewilding ambitions:

• Every 10 subscribers support the planting of one tree each year.

• Every 100 subscribers support the introduction of one wild animal.

• Every 10,000 subscribers support the creation of one new wildlife park each year.

These commitments help connect individual participation with larger conservation goals, including our rewilding work in Devon.

The principle is straightforward: small actions become more powerful when people take them together.

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When we think about bringing more nature into cities, we often think about planting trees, creating wildflower patches or adding more green spaces. But water matters just as much.

Ponds create habitats for wildlife that might otherwise struggle to find a home in built-up areas. Even a small pond can provide food, shelter and breeding grounds for a range of species.

More than just water

Ponds support dragonflies, damselflies, frogs, toads and aquatic insects. Birds use them for drinking and bathing, while bats can feed on insects flying above the surface.

The plants around the edges are important, too, providing food and shelter for wildlife. A mix of aquatic plants, shallow edges and surrounding vegetation can help turn a simple pond into a thriving habitat.

Urban nature in action: Burgess Park

London’s Burgess Park is a good example of how water can become part of a built-up environment. Its central lake and wildlife pond sit within a vibrant urban parkland, providing habitat for waterbirds, amphibians, and aquatic life.

Nearby planted margins and reed beds support local biodiversity, while local community groups and park volunteers help care for the surrounding green spaces, showing how community involvement can keep urban habitats thriving.

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Creating space for nature

You don’t need a huge garden to help. A small wildlife pond in a suitable outdoor space can provide another habitat, while community gardens and local parks offer opportunities to get involved.

Choose suitable plants, avoid pesticides near the water and include shallow edges so wildlife can access it safely. If you don’t have outdoor space of your own, you could volunteer with a local group or help care for an existing pond.

Rewilding doesn’t always mean transforming a huge area of land. Sometimes it’s about recognising what’s missing and creating opportunities for nature to return.

Every pond adds another place for wildlife to thrive. And across our cities, these small habitats can become part of something much bigger.

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Garden rewilding is a journey. We’re excited to share our journey with you through “The Nature Reserve Next Door: How to Turn Any Garden Into a Wildlife Sanctuary”.

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Chapter Six - Part 2: The Seasonal Calendar and Ongoing Stewardship

Rewilded gardens are not maintenance-free. They are maintenance-shifted. You mow less but observe more. You prune less often but more thoughtfully. You tidy later — and you leave more standing through winter. The temporal discipline of a rewilded garden is entirely different from that of a conventional one, and understanding it is as important as any planting choice.

Two overarching principles govern the seasonal management of a rewilded garden:

• Meadow management is primarily about timing and the removal of arisings — cutting at the right point in the plant’s cycle and removing all cut material to prevent fertility build-up

• Hedge and scrub management must respect nesting season, which in Britain runs from approximately March to August — and this is not just good practice but a legal requirement under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

July

The peak of summer biodiversity activity. Monitor butterfly diversity over the wild meadow and pollinator bed; count and record bee species on the pollinator bed (UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme methods can be applied at garden scale). Check whether grasses are suppressing wildflowers in the meadow zone — if so, plan yellow rattle sowing for late summer. Monitor the pond for dragonfly and damselfly activity, noting species if possible; dragonflies emerging from a pond for the first time are among the most rewarding observations in a rewilded garden.

August

Meadow cut windows often open in August for spring-flowering meadow areas where plants have seeded. The timing rule is: cut after the majority of your wildflower species have set seed, but not so late that you lose the capacity to rake off arisings before autumn growth begins. Try to remove all arisings — do not mulch or leave in situ. Yellow rattle seed should be sown in late August or September for best results, into a grass sward that has been cut short and arisings removed. Sow direct onto the soil surface and firm gently.

September

The single most important month for meadow management in Britain. The main annual meadow cut, of areas not already cut in August, should happen now, followed by careful, thorough raking of all arisings. Then, before regrowth closes the sward, rake the surface vigorously to create bare-soil gaps, and sow any remaining seed. September is also the beginning of the main hedge-planting window: bare-root whips can be planted from October onwards as plants go dormant, and September preparation (ground clearing, stake positioning) makes October planting faster.

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October

Prime planting month: bulbs into meadow edges (wild daffodil, snakeshead fritillary in damp areas, and wild tulip in warmer spots), bare-root hedge whips, and bare-root trees. Build dead hedges and log piles while autumn prunings are abundant. Leave seed heads standing on wildflower beds for as long as tolerable — teasel, knapweed, and evening primrose seed heads will feed goldfinches, linnets, and other finches through winter.

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As October arrives, most of us start thinking about tidying up the garden. Leaves need raking, plants need cutting back and the lawn gets one final trim before winter.

But what if doing a little less could achieve a whole lot more?

A recent feature in Homes & Gardens tells the story of a garden in South Buckinghamshire transformed by designer Rachel Platt into a thriving haven for wildlife. With a natural swimming pond, wildflower meadow, edible hedgerows and carefully preserved mature planting, the garden now attracts dragonflies, bats, frogs, toads and newts.

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It’s a wonderful example of how an ordinary outdoor space can become somewhere that both people and wildlife can enjoy.

And while most of us won’t be installing a natural swimming pond anytime soon, the principles behind this transformation are surprisingly simple.

At LettsSafari, we believe that smaller-scale rewilding starts at home. Whether you have a large garden, a tiny courtyard or a few pots on a balcony, October offers plenty of opportunities to help nature thrive.

Here are six things you can do this month.

1. Leave the leaves: nature’s winter blanket

One of the easiest things you can do for wildlife this October is to resist the temptation to clear every fallen leaf. Leaves provide natural insulation and shelter for countless creatures, including beetles, spiders, earthworms and overwintering insects. As they break down, they also return nutrients to the soil.

What to do this October:

• Rake leaves off paths and lawns where necessary, but move them beneath shrubs, hedges and trees.

• Create a small leaf pile in a sheltered corner of the garden.

• Leave some fallen leaves on flowerbeds as a natural mulch.

• Avoid disturbing established piles throughout winter.

• If you have a compost heap, add some of your leaves to create nutrient-rich compost for next year’s planting.

LettsSafari tip: Think of fallen leaves as free accommodation for garden wildlife. No booking required, and the guests are remarkably low maintenance.

2. Give your lawn a winter break

The Buckinghamshire garden features a wildflower meadow, demonstrating how allowing grass and wild plants to grow can create valuable wildlife habitat. October is a good time to decide which parts of your lawn really need regular mowing and which could become a little wilder.

Longer grass and standing vegetation offer shelter for insects and small mammals, while native wildflowers can provide food for pollinators during the growing season.

What to do this October:

• Choose a sunny patch of lawn that could become a mini meadow next year.

• Reduce soil fertility if appropriate by removing grass cuttings after mowing.

• For a new meadow area, consider sowing a suitable native wildflower seed mix on properly prepared ground.

• Avoid using fertilisers or weedkillers in areas you’re managing for wildlife.

• Leave established meadow areas with some standing stems and undisturbed patches through winter.

• Autumn can be an excellent time to establish a wildflower meadow, particularly on suitable, low-fertility soil.

However, simply throwing seeds onto an existing dense lawn rarely produces good results. Preparing the ground and choosing species appropriate to your soil are important first steps.

LettsSafari tip: Start with just one square metre. A small, well-managed wildflower patch is better than a large patch that never establishes successfully.

3. Plant a wildlife-friendly hedge

One of the most interesting features of the Buckinghamshire garden is its edible hedgerow, combining attractive planting with natural food sources and shelter. Hedgerows are particularly valuable in urban and suburban areas, where they create connections between otherwise isolated green spaces.

They provide nesting opportunities for birds, food for insects and mammals, and protected routes for wildlife moving between gardens. October is a good month to plan a new hedge and prepare the ground for planting during the dormant season.

What to do this October:

• Identify a suitable boundary where you could replace fencing or ornamental shrubs with native hedging.

• Consider wildlife-friendly species such as hawthorn, hazel, dog rose, field maple and blackthorn where space allows.

• Clear competing weeds and prepare the soil.

• Order bare-root hedging plants for delivery and planting from November onwards, when conditions are suitable.

• Leave enough space for the hedge to grow naturally without obstructing paths or neighbouring properties.

Where appropriate, you can also create a small gap beneath a garden fence to help hedgehogs travel safely between neighbouring gardens.

A 13 cm × 13 cm opening is generally sufficient for a hedgehog.

LettsSafari tip: Speak to your neighbours about connecting gardens. One wildlife-friendly garden is useful, but several connected gardens can become a valuable local wildlife corridor.

4. Create a mini pond before winter

The natural swimming pond is the centrepiece of the Buckinghamshire transformation, providing habitat for amphibians, aquatic insects and other wildlife. Fortunately, you don’t need anything nearly that ambitious to make a difference.

Even a small wildlife pond can support biodiversity by providing water, shelter and breeding opportunities for suitable species.

October can be a good time to install a new pond, provided the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged, although it may take time for the habitat to establish.

What to do this October:

1. Choose a position with a mix of sunlight and partial shade.

2. Use a pond liner or suitable watertight container.

3. Incorporate gently sloping edges or secure escape routes.

4. Add appropriate native aquatic plants.

5. Allow the pond to fill with rainwater wherever possible.

6. Let wildlife discover the pond naturally.

Avoid introducing fish, as they can prey on amphibian eggs and aquatic invertebrates. If you already have an established pond, October is a useful time to remove excessive fallen leaves and check that plants aren’t completely covering the water. However, avoid major pond clearance during autumn and winter, when amphibians and other wildlife may already be sheltering in or around the pond.

Always put safety first, especially where children or pets have access to the garden.

LettsSafari tip: No room for a pond? A shallow bird bath or water dish with stones for insects to land on is a simpler alternative. Keep it clean and topped up with fresh water.

5. Resist the big autumn cutback

October is traditionally the month when gardeners begin cutting everything back. But those dry stems, fading flowers and seed heads can provide valuable winter habitat. Hollow stems offer shelter for insects, while seed heads provide food for birds such as goldfinches. Dense vegetation can also protect small creatures from cold weather and predators.

The Buckinghamshire garden demonstrates the value of allowing planting to mature naturally rather than continually keeping it under control.

What to do this October:

• Leave seed heads on plants such as teasels, sunflowers and suitable native perennials.

• Keep hollow stems standing where they don’t present a safety problem.

• Avoid cutting back every border at once.

• Leave a few undisturbed patches of vegetation through winter.

• Remove diseased plant material where necessary, and manage invasive species responsibly.

There’s no need to abandon garden maintenance altogether. Simply concentrate on keeping paths and seating areas accessible while allowing wildlife-friendly sections to remain relatively undisturbed.

LettsSafari tip: A winter garden doesn’t have to look messy. Leave architectural seed heads and grasses standing while keeping edges and paths maintained. Wildlife-friendly gardening and attractive design can coexist.

6. Build a winter wildlife refuge

As temperatures begin to fall, many animals are looking for safe places to spend the colder months. Hedgehogs may begin preparing for hibernation, while insects search for protected spaces beneath logs, leaves and vegetation. October is an ideal opportunity to create additional shelter.

What to do this October:

• Stack untreated logs and branches in a quiet, shaded corner.

• Allow leaves to collect around the base of hedges.

• Create a brushwood pile using garden prunings.

• Provide a suitable hedgehog house in a sheltered location if you have space.

• Leave areas undisturbed once wildlife begins using them.

When building a log pile, use fallen or responsibly sourced timber rather than removing healthy trees or damaging existing habitats.

If you discover a hedgehog nesting in your garden, avoid disturbing it. Hedgehogs that appear injured, seriously underweight or active in unusual circumstances may need specialist advice from a wildlife rescue organisation.

LettsSafari tip: Create a small ‘wild corner’ using logs, leaves and branches. It costs almost nothing and can provide valuable shelter throughout winter.

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How LettsSafari helps you make a bigger difference

The Buckinghamshire garden is a beautiful example of what happens when we give nature more room.

But restoring biodiversity isn’t just about creating individual wildlife gardens. It’s also about connecting habitats and supporting restoration beyond our own boundaries. That’s where LettsSafari comes in. LettsSafari helps people contribute to small-scale rewilding through a UK subscription programme supporting nature restoration projects in Devon.

Alongside practical advice for bringing wildlife back into gardens, balconies and neighbourhoods, subscriptions support broader ambitions for habitat creation and wildlife recovery.

Our collective impact model aims to deliver:

• One tree planted each year for every 10 subscribers.

• Support for one wild animal for every 100 subscribers.

• One new rewilding park each year for every 10,000 subscribers.

This October, give nature a little more space

As we head towards winter, it’s easy to think that the gardening season is coming to an end. For wildlife, however, October is a critical month.

The Buckinghamshire garden shows what is possible when nature becomes part of the plan.

This October, try doing one less gardening job and one more thing for wildlife.

Your garden’s smallest residents might thank you for it.

They might not be everyone’s favourite visitors, but spiders play an important role in our ecosystems, helping to keep insect populations in check. Here are four species you might spot this autumn!

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European Garden Spider

Recognisable by its round abdomen and white cross-shaped markings, the European garden spider is a familiar sight in UK gardens. In autumn, it builds large circular webs between plants, hedges and fences to catch flying insects.

Where to look: Garden plants, hedges and fences.

Giant House Spider

With its brown body and long legs, the giant house spider can be quite a surprise when it runs across your floor. In autumn, males become more active as they search for females. Despite their size, they’re generally shy and prefer to avoid people.

Where to look: Quiet corners, skirting boards, bathrooms and garages.

False Widow

False widows are established across parts of the UK. They’re usually brown and glossy, with a rounded abdomen, and build messy webs in sheltered spots. Bites are uncommon, and they’re generally not aggressive towards people.

Where to look: Window frames, sheds, garages and sheltered corners.

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Cupboard Spider

A relative of the false widow, the cupboard spider has a rounded, shiny abdomen and tends to stay hidden in its web. It catches small insects and often goes unnoticed in sheltered parts of the home.

Where to look: Cupboards, behind furniture and around window frames.

Keep an Eye Out This Autumn

Spiders are part of the wildlife living alongside us, even in our homes and gardens. This October, take a closer look at the small creatures sharing our spaces.

Have you spotted any spiders around your home or garden recently? Let us know!

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Of that, £53 million will support the planting of up to 500,000 trees outside traditional woodlands including in streets, parks and places close to where people live and work. A further £26 million will support local authorities and mayors delivering Local Nature Recovery Strategies.

It is a sizeable investment, but there is an equally important idea behind it: nature recovery works best when it happens close to home.

And you don’t need a multi-million-pound budget to take part. A garden, balcony, patio, window box or shared community space can all become part of a much larger network of habitats for wildlife.

Here are seven practical ways to start.

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1. Plant a tree. Even if you only have a small garden

The government’s new Community Trees Fund will focus specifically on trees outside woodlands: the trees we encounter in streets, gardens, parks and neighbourhoods. That makes sense. Trees can provide food and shelter for wildlife, capture rainwater, offer shade and help cool urban areas. Government figures accompanying the announcement suggest mature trees can intercept more than 15,000 litres of rainwater each year, while urban trees can also help reduce temperatures during hot weather.

What can you do?

If you have space, consider planting a native or wildlife-friendly tree.

For smaller gardens, look at compact varieties such as crab apple, rowan or hawthorn rather than assuming you need room for an oak tree.

No garden? You may be able to support a local community tree-planting project instead.

2. Turn part of your lawn into a mini meadow

One of the easiest ways to create more habitat is simply to mow less.

Choose a small area of lawn and leave it longer through spring and summer. You can introduce native wildflowers or simply see what appears naturally.

Longer grass provides shelter for insects and creates feeding opportunities for birds and other wildlife.

You don’t have to abandon the whole lawn. A metre-wide strip, an unmown corner or an area around a tree can make a difference.

Think less bowling green, more miniature ecosystem.

3. Create a tiny source of water

Wetlands are another important part of local nature recovery strategies because they can support biodiversity while also helping landscapes hold water.

You can recreate the same principle on a tiny scale.

A garden pond does not need to be large. Even a watertight container sunk into the ground can provide drinking and bathing opportunities for insects, birds and other wildlife.

Add stones or branches so creatures can get in and out safely, and allow native aquatic plants to establish.

Avoid introducing fish into a wildlife pond — they can eat many of the insects and larvae you are trying to encourage.

4. Build a wildlife corridor

One isolated wildlife-friendly garden is useful.

A street full of them is much better.

Animals need to move between habitats to find food, shelter and mates, so one of the most valuable things neighbours can do is make their gardens more connected.

That might mean creating a small gap at the bottom of a fence for hedgehogs, growing climbing plants along boundaries or planting hedges rather than installing solid fencing.

Local Nature Recovery Strategies are designed around a similar principle: joining individual areas together so nature recovery isn’t restricted to isolated pockets.

Your garden can be part of exactly the same idea.

5. Replace ornamental planting with something wildlife can use

You don’t have to turn your garden into wilderness.

Instead, look at what you already grow and gradually introduce more plants that provide pollen, nectar, berries, seeds or shelter.

Good options include plants such as:

• lavender

• foxglove

• thyme

• honeysuckle

• ivy

• hawthorn

• crab apple

A mixture of plants flowering at different times of year can help provide food for pollinators across a longer season.

And don’t be too quick to remove ivy. Mature ivy can be an exceptionally valuable source of late-season nectar and winter berries.

6. Leave some things untidy

Nature is not particularly interested in garden design awards.

Dead wood, fallen leaves, hollow stems and slightly overgrown corners can provide habitat for insects, fungi and small animals.

Try leaving a small pile of logs somewhere sheltered.

Allow fallen leaves to remain beneath shrubs.

Leave some plant stems standing through winter rather than cutting everything back immediately.

Sometimes rewilding is less about doing more and more about stopping doing quite so much.

7. Think beyond your own garden

The government’s funding announcement puts communities at the centre of nature restoration. You can do the same.

Talk to neighbours about creating connected wildlife-friendly gardens. Get involved with a local Friends of the Park group. Volunteer for tree planting or river restoration. Suggest pollinator planting on communal land.

England is now divided into 48 Local Nature Recovery Strategy areas, designed to identify where action can have the greatest environmental benefit.

Finding out what is happening in your own area is a good place to start.

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How does LettsSafari fit in?

At LettsSafari, we believe rewilding doesn’t have to mean buying hundreds of acres and releasing wolves. It can mean giving nature a little more space wherever you live. LettsSafari helps people take part in nature recovery in two ways.

First, we support our own smaller-scale rewilding projects in the UK, helping turn subscriptions into practical action for nature.

Second, we encourage people to rewild the spaces around them - gardens, balconies and neighbourhoods — with simple ideas anyone can try.

The government’s £79 million investment demonstrates what can happen at national and local-authority level.

LettsSafari is about the other end of the equation:

What can each of us do ourselves?

A tree here.
A pond there.
A patch of long grass.
A few more flowers.
A gap beneath a fence.

Individually, they are small changes.

Connect enough of them together and you begin to create something much bigger.

You don’t need a huge garden to make a difference for pollinators.

A few pots on a balcony, a window box, a small patch of grass or a community garden can all provide food for bees, butterflies and other insects. The key is choosing plants that provide nectar and pollen, and thinking about what will be flowering at different times of the year.

Here are some plants to consider if you want to make your city garden more pollinator-friendly.

Spring

Early spring can be a difficult time for pollinators, when there are fewer flowers around and many insects are just becoming active again.

Plants such as crocuses, snowdrops and primroses can provide an early source of food. Borage is another useful choice and can continue flowering into summer.

If you have space, planting a mixture of bulbs and early-flowering plants means there can be something available as soon as temperatures begin to rise.

Summer

Summer brings plenty of options.

Lavender is a popular choice for bees and can work well in pots as well as borders. Foxgloves, thyme, oregano and marjoram can also attract pollinators, while plants such as verbena and scabious can provide nectar for bees and butterflies.

Try to plant a mixture rather than relying on one type of flower. Having different shapes, colours and flowering periods can help attract a wider range of insects.

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Autumn

As summer flowers begin to fade, it’s important to keep something flowering into autumn.

Ivy is particularly valuable at this time of year, providing late-season flowers for insects as well as shelter and berries for birds. Sedums and asters are also good options for extending the flowering season.

Autumn is also a good time to start thinking about what you’ll plant for next spring. Many bulbs can be planted in autumn, ready to provide an early source of nectar once winter ends.

Winter

There aren’t as many flowering plants available in winter, but there are still some options.

Winter-flowering heather and winter honeysuckle can provide food when there isn’t much else around. If you have a sheltered space, they can be a useful addition to a wildlife-friendly garden.

But helping pollinators isn’t only about planting flowers.

Leaving some areas of your garden a little less tidy can provide important places for insects to shelter through the colder months. Fallen leaves, hollow stems, dead wood and undisturbed soil can all provide habitat.

Don’t have a garden?

You can still help!

A few pots on a balcony or windowsill can provide valuable food for pollinators. Choose a couple of plants with different flowering periods and avoid using pesticides where possible.

You could also get involved with a local community garden or help improve a shared green space. These spaces can provide much larger areas of habitat when lots of people contribute.

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🐝 Think beyond individual plants

One of the easiest ways to make a garden more useful for pollinators is to think about it as a whole habitat rather than simply a collection of flowers!

Try to have something flowering across as much of the year as possible, include different types of plants and leave some areas undisturbed.

And don’t worry about making everything perfect. A garden with a few wild corners can be much more useful to wildlife than one that’s constantly cut back and tidied.

Whether it’s a balcony in a city centre or a small garden at home, every bit of planting can give pollinators another place to feed.

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But one small project in the Tamar Valley demonstrates something much more useful. At Larkrise, near St Dominic, around 10 acres of previously poorly drained land have been allowed to become wilder. Less than seven years after the project began, the site now contains thriving native plants, young trees, ponds, hedgerows and a growing collection of wildlife.

Foxes, roe deer, barn owls, moorhens, weasels, voles and shrews have all been recorded there. Swallows skim across the ponds, goldfinches feed among the plants and butterflies move through areas that were once much less diverse.

What did Larkrise actually do?

One of the useful things about the Larkrise story is that the changes aren’t particularly complicated.

The project has combined several relatively straightforward approaches:

• allowing native grasses and plants to establish

• protecting naturally regenerating trees

• strengthening and retaining hedgerows

• digging ponds

• introducing appropriate indigenous plants, seeds and cuttings

• reducing the pressure from grazing

• leaving space for natural processes to take over.

None of these actions is especially dramatic in isolation. Together, however, they create something wildlife desperately needs: a mixture of habitats.

Water attracts one group of species. Native plants attract another. Trees provide shelter, food and nesting opportunities. Hedgerows become wildlife corridors. Areas of longer vegetation give small mammals and insects places to live.

Instead of thinking about rewilding as one big project, it is often more helpful to think of it as creating lots of small opportunities for nature.

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How can you apply the same idea at home?

You probably don’t have 10 acres. Fortunately, you don’t need them. The principles visible at Larkrise can be scaled down to a garden, courtyard, community space, school grounds or even a collection of pots on a balcony.

1. Create some water

A pond is one of the most effective ways to increase the variety of wildlife using a garden.

And it doesn’t have to be large.

A small container pond can provide drinking water and habitat for insects, while a larger wildlife pond may attract frogs, newts, dragonflies and birds.

If you create one, make sure wildlife can get in and out easily and avoid adding chemicals.

2. Let something grow

One of the easiest rewilding techniques is also one of the cheapest: stop cutting everything.

Leave a section of lawn longer. Allow some plants to flower and seed. Leave a few stems standing through winter.

These slightly untidier areas can provide food and shelter for insects, which in turn support birds and other wildlife.

You don’t have to abandon the whole garden. Even a small wild corner can help.

3. Choose native plants

Native flowers, shrubs and trees have developed alongside UK wildlife and can provide valuable sources of food and shelter.

Depending on the space available, consider plants that produce:

• nectar for pollinators

• berries for birds

• seeds for birds and small mammals

• dense vegetation for shelter.

Even several carefully chosen pots can create a miniature feeding station.

4. Keep your hedges

A hedge isn’t simply a boundary.

It can be a miniature ecosystem.

Hedges provide nesting places, berries, insects, shelter and routes that wildlife can use to move between habitats.

If you already have one, consider allowing it to become slightly thicker and less manicured. Where space allows, planting a mixture of native hedge species can create even more variety.

5. Protect natural regeneration

At Larkrise, naturally occurring young oak trees were protected rather than simply planting everything from scratch.

You can use the same principle at home.

Before removing a seedling or an unexpected plant, find out what it is. Sometimes nature has already started doing the planting for you.

The most sustainable plant may be the one that’s already growing.

6. Reduce disturbance

Rewilding isn’t always about adding things.

Sometimes it means doing less.

Reduce pesticide use. Leave fallen leaves beneath shrubs. Keep some dead wood. Avoid constantly disturbing every corner of the garden.

Small areas that humans largely leave alone can become valuable refuges.

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Think in habitats, not individual species

It’s tempting to approach wildlife gardening by deciding you want more bees, butterflies, hedgehogs or birds.

A better starting point is often:

What habitats can I create?

Build the habitat and wildlife has a reason to arrive.

A useful small-scale rewilding checklist might be:

Water + native plants + shelter + food + somewhere undisturbed.

You don’t need all five immediately. Start with one and build from there.

Five things you can do this weekend

If you want to put the Larkrise lesson into practice straight away:

1. Leave one patch unmown.

2. Add a small source of water.

3. Plant one native or wildlife-friendly plant.

4. Create a sheltered corner using leaves, logs or vegetation.

5. Spend ten minutes watching what wildlife is already there.

That final step matters. Rewilding isn’t only about changing the landscape. It’s also about noticing the nature that is already returning.

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Across the Barbican, you’ll find planted gardens, trees, water and the famous Conservatory, creating a network of green spaces within one of the busiest parts of London.

The Barbican Conservatory is probably the best-known example. Built around the theatre’s fly tower, it is home to around 1,500 species of plants and trees, alongside fish and terrapins.

Outside, the gardens and Lakeside provide another type of urban habitat. The water supports wildlife including coots, mallards, herons and moorhens, while the Barbican has introduced more pollinator-friendly planting, bug hotels and bee colonies. The team also works closely with the surrounding community to look after the area.

One of the most noticeable features is the large pond in the middle of the estate. Surrounded by trees, planting and the buildings of the Barbican, it creates an important pocket of water and habitat right in the centre of the estate.

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The community element is a big part of what keeps these spaces thriving. Residents have opportunities to learn about the planting and wildlife around the estate, while events and workshops bring people together around gardening and nature. The Barbican has also worked with community organisations on activities including planting workshops and nature-focused events.

It’s a good example of how urban nature can become part of a community’s everyday environment. The Barbican’s green spaces are not only places to visit, but spaces that residents, gardeners and volunteers continue to care for and shape.

What makes the Barbican interesting from an urban nature perspective is that none of these spaces are particularly removed from the city. They’re surrounded by offices, roads and buildings, but still create opportunities for plants, insects, birds and other wildlife!

In one of the most built-up parts of London, the Barbican shows what can happen when greenery is given a proper place within the city and people are given a role in looking after it!

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Garden rewilding is a journey. We’re excited to share our journey with you through “The Nature Reserve Next Door: How to Turn Any Garden Into a Wildlife Sanctuary”.

Chapter Six: The Seasonal Calendar and Ongoing Stewardship - Part 1.

Rewilded gardens are not maintenance-free. They are maintenance-shifted. You mow less but observe more. You prune less often but more thoughtfully. You tidy later — and you leave more standing through winter. The temporal discipline of a rewilded garden is entirely different from that of a conventional one, and understanding it is as important as any planting choice.

Two overarching principles govern the seasonal management of a rewilded garden:

• Meadow management is primarily about timing and the removal of arisings — cutting at the right point in the plant’s cycle and removing all cut material to prevent fertility build-up

• Hedge and scrub management must respect nesting season, which in Britain runs from approximately March to August — and this is not just good practice but a legal requirement under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

January

January is a planning and observation month. Map damp areas after winter rain — these reveal where a bog or pond would be self-watering. Note winter sun angles across the garden, which often surprise: a space that is in full shade in summer may receive generous winter light once deciduous trees are bare. Keep all habitat structures undisturbed: log piles, leaf litter, brush piles, and compost heaps are overwintering refuges for hundreds of invertebrate species and potentially hedgehogs, which do not emerge from hibernation until soil temperatures rise consistently above 5°C.

February

Begin planting bare-root hedge whips and trees where weather allows — the soil should be unfrozen and workable. Soak bare roots in water for 30 minutes before planting and as an extra boost you can use a mycorrhizal powder on the roots to accelerate establishment. Set up rainwater capture infrastructure if not already in place (natural or built water butts). Watch for signs of early nesting activity in mild years — wrens and robins may begin nest inspection from late February, and a cautious approach to hedge cutting should begin now rather than waiting for March.

March

Reduce mowing to a mosaic pattern and leave early flowers. Dandelions and lesser celandine are among the most important early nectar sources for emerging bumblebee queens and should not be eliminated. Major hedge cutting becomes legally and ecologically risky from March — check carefully for active nests before any work. Pond margins begin their annual cycle: look for frog and toad spawn in the shallow areas; but do not disturb them.

April

Peak early pollinator support month. Ensure spring flowers are accessible and unsprayed. Begin preparing meadow conversion areas if planning a spring sowing. Also, begin pond creation if it is not already done — frogs and toads will have finished spawning by mid-April in most British locations and new ponds can be excavated without disturbing them. Watch for orange-tip butterflies on lady’s smock and garlic mustard, as these indicate that hedgerow and damp-meadow habitat nearby is functioning well.

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That is one of the most useful lessons from Pear Tree Park in Ealing, West London, where a former golf course is being transformed into a more varied urban landscape of wildflower meadows, native trees and wetlands. More than 5,000 trees have already been planted, while volunteers are also helping restore the nearby River Brent by removing invasive plants and replacing them with native wetland species.

The scale may be bigger than the average garden, but the principles are surprisingly easy to borrow. Here are five ways to apply the same thinking at home.

1. Replace some lawn with longer grass

One of the simplest things you can do is mow less. A closely cut lawn offers relatively little shelter or food for wildlife. Leaving even a small section longer creates habitat for insects and allows more plants to flower.

You do not need to abandon the whole garden! Try:

• leaving a strip along a fence or hedge unmown

• creating a circular “mini meadow” in the lawn

• mowing paths through longer grass so the garden still looks intentional

• reducing mowing frequency rather than stopping completely

The objective is variety. Different grass heights create different habitats.

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2. Plant more native species

Pear Tree Park combines native trees with wildflower areas and wetland planting. You can copy that approach on a much smaller scale. Native plants have evolved alongside UK wildlife and can provide food and shelter for insects, birds and other animals. Depending on your space, consider native species such as:

• foxglove

• oxeye daisy

• red campion

• wild marjoram

• hawthorn

• rowan

• hazel

Even a few pots planted with wildlife-friendly species can help. The important thing is not to create a perfect “wild garden”. It is to increase the number and variety of plants available to wildlife.

3. Add water

One of Pear Tree Park’s strengths is its mix of habitats, including wetlands. Water can dramatically increase the number of species visiting even a small garden, and you do not necessarily need a large pond. A mini pond can be made using a watertight container sunk into the ground or placed on a patio.

Add:

• rainwater where possible

• aquatic plants

• stones or logs so wildlife can get in and out safely

• different depths if your container allows it

Avoid adding fish, which can eat insect larvae and other small pond wildlife. Even a container pond can attract insects, birds and amphibians.

4. Create layers, not just plants

Successful habitats are rarely flat. Woodland, meadow and wetland environments all contain different layers where wildlife can feed, hide and reproduce. You can recreate that structure in a garden by combining:

• trees

• shrubs

• flowers

• grasses

• ground cover

• dead wood

• leaf litter

A small pile of logs in a quiet corner can provide shelter for insects and fungi. Leaving some fallen leaves beneath shrubs rather than clearing everything away can create another valuable microhabitat. Rewilding is often as much about what you stop removing as what you start planting.

5. Connect your patch to the wider landscape

Perhaps the biggest idea behind Pear Tree Park is connectivity. The park forms part of plans for a wider West London Regional Park, designed to connect green and blue spaces across the area. Wildlife benefits when habitats are connected rather than isolated. Your garden can become part of the same idea.

Simple actions include:

• creating gaps beneath fences for hedgehogs

• growing climbing plants along walls and fences

• planting hedges instead of relying entirely on solid fencing

• talking to neighbours about creating connected wildlife areas

• planting flowers that provide nectar across different seasons

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How LettsSafari helps

LettsSafari is built around the idea that nature recovery can happen at both ends of the scale. Subscribers help fund practical rewilding projects in the UK while also receiving ideas and inspiration for bringing more wildlife into their own gardens, balconies and neighbourhoods.

Small actions at home complement larger habitat restoration projects. You do not need to own a woodland - you just need to make your patch slightly better for nature than it was yesterday.

And if thousands of people do the same thing, those small patches begin to connect.

When people hear the word rewilding, they often imagine huge estates, forests and vast areas of countryside.

But rewilding doesn’t have to happen on a massive scale.

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Our new e-book, The Definitive Guide to Smaller-Scale Rewilding, looks at how gardens, parks, farms, community spaces and other smaller areas can all play a part in nature recovery.

We’ve created the guide to make rewilding feel more practical and accessible. You don’t need hundreds of acres or specialist knowledge to start creating better habitats for wildlife. Sometimes, it can be as simple as leaving an area of grass unmown, planting native wildflowers or creating a small pond.

Why we made it

After years of working on our own rewilding projects, we wanted to bring together what we’ve learned and make it useful to people who want to do something themselves.

Smaller-scale rewilding can look different everywhere. It might be a community garden, a section of a park, a wildlife-friendly garden or a small piece of farmland.

A sneak peek

One of the sections of the guide looks at creating microhabitats.

A successful rewilding space doesn’t need to be one single type of habitat. Even on a small plot, creating a mix of grassland, scrub, woodland and water can provide different resources for different species.

For example, a small patch of wild grassland can become a mini meadow, providing food and shelter for insects and other wildlife. In some cases, simply reducing how often you mow an existing lawn can allow wildflowers and other plants to appear naturally.

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It’s one of the ideas we explore throughout the guide: you don’t always need to add more to a space. Sometimes, giving nature a little more room to do its own thing is enough.

The Definitive Guide to Smaller-Scale Rewilding is available now on e-book for only £9.99!

Keep an eye out for the hardcover coming soon!

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And sometimes it begins in a garden shed.

Glowworms have returned to Nosterfield Nature Reserve in North Yorkshire for the first time in more than 100 years, following a remarkably low-budget conservation project involving an ecologist, volunteers and hundreds of tiny glowworm larvae.

Independent ecologist Pete Cooper and volunteer “glow-getters” bred glowworms in captivity before releasing larvae at Nosterfield in 2024. Because glowworms take around two years to mature, the team had a long wait before discovering whether the experiment had worked.

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This summer, volunteers recorded up to 12 glowing female glowworms over several weeks - the first encouraging evidence that the insects can once again complete their lifecycle at the reserve.

It’s a wonderful conservation story. But it also contains some useful lessons for anyone interested in rewilding a garden, neighbourhood or small patch of land.

First, create the habitat. Then let wildlife find it

One of the most important parts of the Nosterfield story actually happened long before the glowworms arrived. The reserve occupies former quarry land. Since 1997, the Lower Ure Conservation Trust has gradually transformed parts of the site into species-rich grassland and wetland habitat.

Wildlife followed.

Bitterns and marsh harriers now use the site, and the restored habitat eventually became suitable enough for conservationists to attempt the return of glowworms. There’s a useful principle here for small-scale rewilding:

Don’t start by asking which animal you want to attract. Start by asking what habitat you can create.

Food, shelter, water and places to reproduce are what bring wildlife back.

1. Leave part of your garden untidy

Glowworms are one of many species affected by our enthusiasm for neatness. Short grass, cleared leaves, clipped edges and constantly disturbed soil might look tidy to us, but they remove hiding places and food sources for insects and other wildlife. Try leaving one area largely alone.

That might mean:

• letting grass grow longer

• leaving fallen leaves beneath shrubs

• allowing dead stems to remain through winter

• creating a small pile of logs or branches

• reducing how often you cut vegetation

You don’t need to turn the entire garden into wilderness. Even one less-managed corner gives nature somewhere to operate on its own terms.

2. Turn down the lights

There is another particularly relevant lesson from glowworms: darkness is habitat too.

Female glowworms use bioluminescence to attract males. Artificial lighting can interfere with that signalling, and increased night-time illumination is one factor associated with their decline. Making your garden more wildlife-friendly can therefore be as simple as switching something off. Try turning off unnecessary garden lighting overnight, using motion sensors rather than permanent illumination and avoiding bright lights around hedges, trees and areas of long grass. Your electricity bill may appreciate this particular rewilding project too!

3. Grow a variety of plants

Nature likes variety. Different heights, flowers, grasses, shrubs and groundcover create different microhabitats. Instead of designing every part of a garden around a single lawn or planting style, aim for layers. You could combine longer grass with flowering plants, shrubs, climbers and a small tree. Native plants can be particularly valuable because they have evolved alongside local insects and other wildlife. More plant diversity usually means more opportunities for wildlife.

4. Reduce chemicals

Glowworm larvae feed on snails and slugs. That is a useful reminder that species we sometimes regard as garden pests are actually part of much larger food webs. Slug pellets, pesticides and herbicides can affect far more than their intended targets. Where possible, allow natural predators to do some of the work instead. Beetles, birds, frogs, hedgehogs and other species all help regulate populations naturally. A slightly nibbled leaf may simply be evidence that your garden ecosystem is working.

5. Add water

One of the most effective things you can do for wildlife is also one of the simplest: provide water. And of course with an unusuallly hot Summer behind us, we have the space to revisit this. A pond can support insects, amphibians and birds, but it doesn’t need to be large. A container pond, shallow basin or buried tub can create valuable habitat surprisingly quickly. Make sure animals have an easy way in and out, and avoid introducing fish if wildlife is your priority.

6. Think in years, not weekends

Perhaps the most important lesson from Nosterfield is patience. Glowworm larvae were first released in 2024. The conservationists behind the project had to wait two years before seeing glowing adults. And even now, they won’t know whether a genuinely self-sustaining population has been created until later generations mature. Rewilding works on nature’s timetable. Plant a hedge today and birds may use it for decades. Dig a pond and dragonflies might discover it within weeks. Leave grass long and wildflowers may gradually emerge over several seasons. The important thing is to start.

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How LettsSafari helps

We believe rewilding should be something ordinary people can participate in, even if they don’t own acres of countryside. LettsSafari subscriptions help fund practical rewilding projects while also helping people discover simple ways to make more space for nature at home. Our model turns lots of small contributions into measurable action: as the community grows, subscriptions help fund trees, wildlife restoration and ultimately new areas of rewilded land. The return of Nosterfield’s glowworms shows what can happen when people give nature the right conditions - and then give it time. You don’t need a conservation degree. You don’t even necessarily need a garden shed full of glowworms. You just need to start making a little more room for the wild.

But if you look a little closer and they can be some of the most valuable green spaces in an urban area!

Take St Pancras and Islington Cemetery

In East Finchley, Saint Pancras and Islington Cemetery covers more than 60 hectares and is recognised as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation.

It’s home to a mix of woodland, open grassland and wetland, as well as a section of the Strawberry Vale Brook. Some areas that are no longer actively used for burials have been allowed to develop into scrub and secondary woodland, creating more space for wildlife.

The woodland contains oak, hawthorn, willow, ash and sycamore, while the ground layer includes bluebells, cuckoo flowers, wild strawberries and other plants.

The cemetery also supports birds including green and great spotted woodpeckers, treecreepers, goldcrests and kestrels. Muntjac deer have also been recorded visiting the site!

Why does this matter?

London has limited green space, so every habitat counts.

Cemeteries can provide mature trees, undisturbed areas, grassland and vegetation within places where wildlife might otherwise have very little room.

They can also connect with other urban green spaces, helping create a wider network of habitats across the city.

And importantly, they don’t need to be completely rewilded to benefit wildlife.

Simply managing some areas differently, leaving parts of grass longer, protecting mature trees and creating habitats such as log piles or bird and bat boxes can make a difference. Islington Council has specifically identified its cemeteries as places where existing wildlife habitats can be protected and extended.

Looking at cemeteries differently

A cemetery can be a place of remembrance while also being a living habitat.

Next time you walk through one, look beyond the gravestones. Look at the trees, the plants growing between the paths, the birds in the canopy and what’s happening on the woodland floor.

There might be far more wildlife there than you expect.

Do you have a cemetery or churchyard near you that’s become a haven for wildlife?

Garden rewilding is a journey. We’re excited to share our journey with you through “The Nature Reserve Next Door: How to Turn Any Garden Into a Wildlife Sanctuary”.

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5.3 Cottage Garden Rewilding

Cottage gardens, the larger rural, village, or smallholding plots that characterise much of British and northern European rural housing, already have many structural advantages over urban gardens: established hedgerows, older and more diverse planted stock, fruit trees, vegetable areas, composting traditions, and often a richer underlying soil biology from decades of low-input management.

The rewilding opportunity in a cottage garden is therefore less about creating habitats from scratch and more about extending, connecting, and ecologically enriching what already exists.

High-Impact Features in a Cottage Garden

• Meadow orchard logic: native orchard trees (crab apple, wild cherry, pear) combined with flower-rich grass managed as meadow underneath is one of the most ecologically and aesthetically rich combinations available in the temperate garden

• Expanded hedge networks with layered climbers (ivy at the base for ground cover and late nectar; honeysuckle in the mid-layer for night-moth nectar; bramble at the edges for invertebrate and bird value)

• Multiple micro-wetlands: one main pond, one seasonal scrape (a shallow, seasonally flooded depression that dries in summer - supporting specialist invertebrates that cannot survive permanent water), and one wet swale or rain garden

• Deadwood zones rather than single log piles: a dead hedge line (branches stacked between posts in a ‘fedge’ structure) providing continuous linear habitat; a stag beetle log cluster (buried hardwood logs in a sunny position) if stag beetles are present in your county

• A south-facing stone bank or rubble pile for reptile habitat, particularly valuable in warmer southern counties for common lizard and slow worm

Hopefully Chapter five has given you some basic approaches to rewilding many smaller garden types. The real secret is not just rewilding your own garden as an isolated activity, but also to set an example and create the conditions for this vital movement to ripple throughout your neighbourhood.

Join us next week for “Chapter Six: The Seasonal Calendar and Ongoing Stewardship”

Get more LettsSafari updates and wildlife photos on X. And read the latest posts at the LettsSafari + website.

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What is the Sussex Bay rewilding project?

Sussex Bay is a collaborative nature recovery initiative aiming to improve approximately 100 miles of marine environment along the Sussex coastline. The waters are home to species including dolphins, porpoises, seahorses, rays, seals and kelp. Rather than concentrating on one species or habitat, the project takes a much broader approach. It considers how kelp forests, oyster reefs, saltmarshes, rivers, coastal habitats and inland landscapes interact with one another, and how the people living alongside them can become part of their recovery.

The project has already supported initiatives including oyster restoration, citizen-science research, marine wildlife monitoring and work to improve understanding of the local marine environment. But perhaps the most important idea behind Sussex Bay is connectivity.

A healthy kelp forest, for example, is more resilient if surrounding habitats are healthy too. Saltmarsh can help filter pollution. Oyster reefs can improve water quality. Rivers connect inland landscapes with the sea. Strengthening one part of the system can therefore help another. The same principle applies much closer to home.

Your garden isn’t an island

It is tempting to think of rewilding a garden as creating one particularly wildlife-friendly space.

Plant some wildflowers - Put up a bird box - Build a small pond - Leave part of the lawn unmown.

All of these are useful but their impact becomes much greater when we start thinking about how wildlife moves between spaces. Your garden might connect a nearby park with another garden:

• A hedge might provide a route for hedgehogs.

• A row of flowering plants could become one small feeding station in a much larger network used by bees and butterflies.

• A tree could provide shelter between two larger areas of habitat.

• Even a balcony covered with nectar-rich plants can become a small stepping stone for pollinating insects moving through a city.

The goal isn’t necessarily to create a complete ecosystem in your own garden.

It is to make your patch part of a bigger one.

Five ways to create a wildlife stepping stone at home

1. Plant for movement as well as appearance

Think about where wildlife might enter and leave your garden. Planting along fences, walls and boundaries can create continuous vegetation rather than isolated flower beds. Climbers, shrubs, native flowers and grasses can create useful cover and feeding opportunities. If several neighbouring gardens do something similar, the result can become a genuine wildlife corridor.

2. Make your boundaries permeable

Solid fences can be surprisingly difficult for wildlife. Hedgehogs in particular need to travel significant distances while searching for food and mates. Creating a small opening at ground level between neighbouring gardens can help transform several individual gardens into one much larger habitat network. Better still, coordinate with neighbours so several gardens become connected.

3. Create several layers of habitat

Natural habitats rarely consist of plants at one height. Try combining:

• ground-covering plants

• wildflowers and grasses

• shrubs

• climbers

• trees where space allows

Different species use different parts of this structure. A layered garden therefore offers more opportunities for feeding, nesting, shelter and movement.

4. Add water

One of the most effective things you can do for wildlife is provide water. It doesn’t have to be a large pond. A small container pond can support insects and other wildlife, while birds and mammals may use it for drinking. Make sure wildlife has an easy way in and out, using stones, gravel or gently sloping edges. Avoid introducing fish into wildlife ponds because they can eat aquatic insects and larvae.

5. Talk to your neighbours

This may be the most important lesson from Sussex Bay. Nature recovery becomes easier when people collaborate. Imagine ten neighbouring gardens each creating a small patch of pollinator-friendly planting, or several households making fence openings for hedgehogs, or a street deciding to plant native flowers around tree pits.

Individually, each action is small. Together, they create habitat.

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Think beyond the garden

Urban rewilding can extend far beyond private gardens. Small areas around:

• apartment blocks

• schools

• offices

• community centres

• churchyards

• car parks

• roadside verges

...can all become useful wildlife habitat.

Even spaces that appear insignificant to us may be valuable stepping stones for wildlife moving across increasingly fragmented landscapes.

How LettsSafari helps

LettsSafari was created around exactly this principle: many people taking practical action can collectively create meaningful space for nature. Through LettsSafari, members can support rewilding projects while also learning how to encourage wildlife closer to home. It turns rewilding from something that can feel distant or enormous into something people can participate in. You might start with a window box. Someone else might rewild part of their lawn. Another person might create a pond. Elsewhere, larger areas of land can be allowed to recover.

Connect enough of those actions and something important starts to happen: nature gets more room to move, and more room to return.

Here are six things to keep an eye out for this month.

Hedgehogs

Hedgehogs are still active in September, usually coming out after dark to look for food. They spend their nights searching for beetles, worms, caterpillars and other invertebrates.

If you’re lucky enough to spot one, give it plenty of space and watch from a distance.

Red admirals

You can still see butterflies on warmer September days, including red admirals. They’re often found around gardens, woodland edges and areas with late-flowering plants.

September can be a good month to keep an eye on flowers and see what’s still buzzing around them.

Fungi

As the weather becomes cooler and damper, fungi starts appearing across woodland floors, fallen logs and grassy areas.

There are thousands of species of fungi in the UK, so September is a great time to slow down and look closely. Remember to admire them rather than picking or eating anything you find.

Bats

Bats are still active in September, particularly around dusk when they head out to feed. They use echolocation to find and catch insects in the dark.

If you’re outside in the evening, look up and you might spot one flying overhead.

Goldfinches

Goldfinches are easy to recognise with their bright red faces and yellow wing markings. They’re often found feeding on seeds, particularly in areas with thistles and other seed-producing plants.

Keep an eye out for them in gardens, hedgerows and open areas.

Rosehips

It’s not just animals to look out for this month. Rosehips start to stand out in September as they develop on wild roses.

Their bright red-orange fruits provide food for birds and other wildlife, making them an important part of the autumn landscape.

Keep an eye out 👀

Next time you’re outside, take a little more time to look around. You might be surprised by what you find!

Ecologists forecast the work could increase biodiversity on the site by approximately 90%. The scale may be bigger than the average garden, business park or community space, but the principles behind it can be applied almost anywhere. And that is where smaller-scale rewilding gets interesting.

The lesson from Lancaster: make every piece of land work harder for nature

The Burrow Beck project demonstrates that we do not necessarily have to choose between land being useful for people and useful for wildlife. The same land can produce renewable electricity while also providing food, shelter and habitat for wildlife. That principle translates remarkably well to smaller spaces:

• A garden can still be somewhere to sit and entertain while containing native flowers.

• An office development can still have landscaped grounds while providing hedges, trees and nesting habitat.

• A balcony can still look attractive while supplying nectar for pollinators.

• A school field, verge, courtyard or communal garden can perform its original purpose while doing considerably more for biodiversity.

The goal isn’t necessarily to abandon a space to nature.

It is to increase the amount of nature that the space can support.

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How to rewild a small space: five practical ideas

1. Replace some grass with flowers

One of the simplest changes is reducing the amount of frequently mown grass. Instead, allow a section to grow longer or introduce native wildflowers. Longer grass and flowering plants can provide food and shelter for insects, which in turn support birds and other wildlife. You don’t have to turn the whole garden into a meadow. Start with a strip along a fence, a corner of the lawn or even a large container.

Think less mowing, more flowering.

2. Create layers of habitat

Burrow Beck combines several different habitat types rather than relying on one intervention and you can apply the same principle at home. Try combining:

• flowering plants

• shrubs

• a small native tree

• longer grass

• dead wood

• climbing plants

• a small pond or water source

• Different species need different things.

A garden containing several layers of vegetation is generally more valuable to wildlife than a garden consisting almost entirely of lawn - even a small space can contain surprising complexity.

3. Add water

Water can be one of the most valuable additions to a wildlife-friendly space. And you don’t need a large pond. A container pond made from a half barrel, washing-up bowl or other watertight container can provide habitat for insects and drinking water for birds and other wildlife. Allow plants to grow around the edges and provide an easy escape route for anything that falls in. Small interventions can create disproportionately useful habitats.

4. Connect your patch to the neighbourhood

Wildlife doesn’t recognise property boundaries. That means your garden becomes more useful when it connects with other green spaces nearby.

• Hedges rather than solid fences can create wildlife corridors.

• Small gaps beneath fences can help species such as hedgehogs travel between gardens.

• Climbing plants can provide vertical habitat where ground space is limited.

• Street trees, gardens, allotments, balconies and parks can collectively form a network.

One garden might be small but a neighbourhood full of wildlife-friendly gardens is something much bigger.

5. Manage less

Sometimes rewilding is as much about what you stop doing as what you add:

• Leave seed heads through winter.

• Allow leaves to gather beneath shrubs.

• Keep some dead wood.

• Avoid unnecessary pesticides.

• Let some grass grow longer.

• Allow a few plants to seed naturally.

A perfectly tidy garden often removes exactly the materials that insects, birds and other animals need. Giving nature slightly more freedom can have a surprisingly large effect.

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Start with the lowest-diversity part of your space

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Burrow Beck is where the project started. The council describes the original agricultural land as species-poor. That gives us another useful rewilding rule: don’t necessarily start with the wildest part of your garden. Start with the least wild.

Look around your space:

• Is there a bare fence?

• A permanently short lawn?

• A paved corner?

• An unused planter?

• A sterile area of gravel?

• A wall with nothing growing against it?

• These are opportunities.

You are looking for places where a relatively small intervention could create a large ecological improvement.

Where LettsSafari fits in

At LettsSafari, we believe rewilding should be something people can participate in rather than simply something they read about. You don’t need to own a large estate nor do you need to become a conservation expert.

And you don’t need to transform your entire garden overnight.

LettsSafari helps people take part in nature recovery in two complementary ways. First, our subscriptions help support our practical smaller-scale rewilding projects in the UK. Second, we help our community discover straightforward ways to make their own gardens, balconies and neighbourhood spaces more welcoming to wildlife.

The two ideas reinforce each other.

Your small-space rewilding checklist

If you want to begin this week, try just one of these:

• Leave a section of grass unmown

• Sow native wildflowers

• Plant a wildlife-friendly shrub

• Add a container pond

• Create a gap for hedgehogs

• Leave some fallen leaves beneath shrubs

• Put away pesticides

• Add a climbing plant to a bare wall or fence

• Leave seed heads standing over winter

Don’t worry about doing everything.

Choose one patch. Make it slightly wilder. Then see what turns up.