Pollinators and wildlife are essential for the health and beauty of any landscape, but they face many threats from habitat loss, pesticides, climate change, and invasive species. As a landscape architect, you can help create more resilient and diverse ecosystems by choosing the best planting strategies for your projects. Here are some tips to consider.
Native plants are adapted to the local climate, soil, and water conditions, and they provide food and shelter for native pollinators and wildlife. They also require less maintenance, fertilizers, and pesticides than exotic plants, which can reduce costs and environmental impacts. Try to select plants that offer a variety of colors, shapes, sizes, and blooming times, to attract different types of pollinators throughout the seasons.
Something I always suggest when I am asked for advice on plants for pollinators is to have a walk around your local nature reserves and parks, have a look at what plants are growing naturally, what plants grow well in your local area and imitate them, there are normally many varieties of native plants available to use in your gardens. follow natures example and let the natural environment show you what plants to choose.
Pollinators and wildlife need different layers of vegetation to find shelter, nesting sites, and foraging opportunities. A layered landscape consists of trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants, and groundcovers, arranged in vertical and horizontal patterns. Edges are the transitions between different habitats, such as woodlands, meadows, wetlands, or gardens. They provide more diversity and complexity, and often attract more species than homogeneous areas. You can create edges by mixing different types of plants, adding curves and angles, or using features like rocks, logs, or fences.
Something we do is create wildlife habitats using garden debris, so dead wood and logs make woodpile for invertebrates or if you have a large space you can create dead hedges with them. rock piles work well for toads and frogs, again if you have space a hedge is a wonderful boundary and ideal for wildlife and small birds, stick to native hedging if you can and eve look in to the possibilities of hedge laying your hedge for greater benefit, the odd small garden tree along a hedge line may encourage larger birds and possibly birds of prey. the more diverse environment you can create the greater the diversity of wildlife you may possibly see.
Monocultures are large areas of the same plant species, such as lawns, crops, or ornamental beds. They offer little value for pollinators and wildlife, and they are more vulnerable to pests and diseases. Turf grass is especially problematic, as it consumes a lot of water, nutrients, and energy, and it often requires mowing, herbicides, and pesticides. Instead of monocultures and turf, opt for more diverse and naturalistic plantings, such as meadows, prairies, or woodlands, that mimic the structure and function of native ecosystems.
If you are not too fussy about having a quality lawn, consider turning areas of it in to mini wild flower meadows, they are easy to establish, easy to maintain and will encourage those pollinators. If you have enough space turn your whole lawn into a wild flower meadow and mow a circular path through it so you can better enjoy the flowers and wildlife that make use of the space.
Pollinators and wildlife need water for drinking, bathing, cooling, and breeding. You can provide water sources by creating ponds, streams, wetlands, or rain gardens, or by installing birdbaths, fountains, or drip irrigation. Make sure the water is clean, fresh, and shallow, and that there are places for animals to perch, hide, and escape predators. You can also enhance the habitat value of your landscape by adding features such as brush piles, rock piles, hollow logs, nest boxes, bee hotels, or butterfly houses, that offer shelter, nesting sites, and food for various species.
It is easy to create a small pond, it does not have to be deep, as long as there is some sort of beach for wildlife to use to get to the waters edge safely and for anything that falls in can get out, it will encourage wildlife, plant some grasses around it, add some rock and/or wood piles around it for habitats and it will soon attract all sorts of aquatic life, and be a waterhole for the rest of your gardens visitors.
Pesticides are chemicals that kill or repel pests, such as insects, weeds, fungi, or rodents. However, they can also harm pollinators and wildlife, either directly by poisoning them, or indirectly by reducing their food sources or disrupting their behavior. Pesticides can also contaminate the soil, water, and air, and affect human health. Therefore, it is best to avoid or minimize the use of pesticides in your landscape, and instead rely on more sustainable and ecological methods, such as integrated pest management, biological control, cultural practices, or mechanical removal.
By following these planting strategies, you can create more attractive, functional, and resilient landscapes that support pollinators and wildlife, as well as human well-being. You can also contribute to the conservation and restoration of biodiversity, which is vital for the balance and health of our planet.
If you do need to control weeds either use biological controls, hand weed or carefully use a weed burner. try to stay away from herbicides and pesticides, there are some plant based ones on the market which leave no residue or harm the ground, but if possible its best not to use them at all. Pest control should be self sustaining as once your space is completed nature will control itself with minimum input for you. Nearly every pest will have a predator in a naturally balanced ecosystem.
Debemos garantizar la biodiversidad en espacios públicos. Esto implica integrar vegetación autóctona, proporcionar hábitats para fauna urbana, favorecer la polinización, y adoptar prácticas sostenibles. Estas acciones promueven la salud ambiental, mejoran la calidad de vida, y crean entornos urbanos resilientes y equilibrados. Además ayudan a regular la temperatura y favorecen la relación de los ciudadanos con la naturaleza.