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Water is the life blood that supports all life on earth and is vital to the life of any garden. From natural swimming ponds and stately rills to barrel ponds and water gardens in Belfast sinks, the variety of water in our gardens is inspiring. While the inclusion of water provides fabulous depths to any garden design, it also supports a wide variety of water loving plants and attracts wildlife too.
The importance of gardens and water:
– According to research there’s a greater acreage of gardens than nature reserves in England, that’s why in a changing climate our gardens are SO important.
– There are 23 million gardens in the UK, and each one, whatever their size, can play a part in reversing biodiversity loss.
– The parts of your garden which feature water support more life per hectare than any other habitat.
– Whether you have a balcony, a window box, an urban patch or an acre or more, start thinking of it as an eco-system in its own right and a steppingstone in connecting habitats to create wildlife corridors.
From Belfast sinks to large lakes over 1,700 National Garden Scheme gardens list water in their descriptions
Small but mighty
Wetlands are areas where land meets water. They include rivers, marshes and lakes. Mini-wetlands are those smaller spaces such as ponds, drainpipe wetlands and bog gardens. They are fantastic for wildlife, supporting more life per area than most other habitats.
Create your own mini-wetland
Every wetland, no matter how small, makes a difference.
So get your hands dirty and give nature a huge boost. It’s easy and doesn’t cost the earth. With time running out to bring nature back from the brink there has never been a more important time to create “blue” wildlife hotspots in your gardens, backyards and communities.
How to guide
With a foreword from our Chief Executive, George Plumptre you can use WWT’s handy guide to help you create your very own mini-wetland. From ponds of all shapes and sizes to bog gardens, it’s simpler than you think. Do share the story of your creation if you decide to take on the challenge so we can share your photos and videos with others for inspiration! Send info to vicky@ngs.org.uk
DOWNLOAD: How to make a mini-wetland guide_NGS
No garden? No problem
If you don’t have a garden to create a pond in, why not consider creating a drainpipe wetland? Drainpipe gardens are small but mighty – virtually maintenance free – making the most of the water that comes from your drainpipes.
Spread the word
Encourage your friends and neighbours to get involved too. Wildlife doesn’t just need healthy habitats to live, they also have to be able to move between habitats to feed, breed or find new territories. If enough of us act, we can create vital mini-wetland wildlife corridors in our communities to help nature when it struggles most.
For more on our partnership with WWT click here
The post Be inspired! Create a mini-wetland appeared first on National Garden Scheme.
Source: ngs.org.uk
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