Wildlife and wild flower advice.

We are coming to the end of our first full year in our new home. I have done quite a bit already to help support the local wildlife. We never use pesticides, herbicides, or salt on the drive. The compost heap has been tidied and ordered, but there is still "ground" access to all 4 bins, so the frogs, toads and newts can come and go. We now have standing water all year round (a big wooden barrel pond, and a large bird bath at ground level). The fruit trees have been given new neighbours, so we should have flowers / apples / pears / plums, and are always willing to share.
Roses have been planted, along with marjarom, mint, thyme, fennel, calendula, snap dragons, deutzia, buddleia, sage, geraniums, sunflowers, etc. Nest boxes are going up as fast as I can afford to buy them. Bird food is always available.

The thing is, I would love some advice on how best to further encourage the wildlife. Are there trusts / charities who are willing to give out such help? I have been trying to keep a record of the birdlife that we have, but I have some problems with some of the LBJs....

 

The RSPB did a free guide to birds, not sure if they'll post it to Belgium though.

You could build bug hotels, they're cheap to make

 

Bug hotels - I call it our wood store! Lots of v old and rotten silver birch logs, a lot of which are v small. I also keep a pile of small "stick" in a different area of the garden.

I will have a look for the RSPB guide, as they could send it to my mum's address. But if it's the one I'm thinking of, I don't think it will contain many new revelations. I will keep searching, I guess.

Maybe I should start making my own nest boxes, to put in the hedges.....

 

I found the charities advice was a bit too vague for me. I bought myself a few books on the subject. I highly recommend this one.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Create-...=1384326471&sr=8-12&keywords=wildlife++garden

 

Ty JJ, just the sort of advice / help I was hoping for! What is even better, is that Father Christmas might be looking at this thread...

 

Also you could try this book, but this is aimed solely at attracting Bees to your garden. It's not bound very well though. I got my copy last Christmas and it fell apart within days

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Bee-Gar...qid=1384412169&sr=8-1&keywords=the+bee+garden

It's nice to see Father Christmas has joined the digital age at last

 

I can recommend the bee book that JJ mentions......mine fell apart too and is now stuck together with cellotape. Father Christmas also brought mine last Xmas.