Rewidling: How To Rewild Your Garden In 7 Easy Steps

by John Griffith
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It may sometimes feel like the rewilding movement is beyond our reach and too overwhelming to do on our own. While the term used to be applied to big areas of land, this is no longer the case. Gardening and wildlife experts are now encouraging us to do the same even for smaller spaces of land. And no, this doesn’t mean you need to let your whole outdoor area revert back to its natural state. You can still have a vegetable garden or a composition of flowers. Instead, rewilding your garden means to leave just some parts undisturbed and to let nature have a go, while the others are managed in a wildlife-friendly way. Do you like the sound of rewilding your outdoor space? Here is how to rewild your garden.

Rewilding your garden means to leave just some parts undisturbed

olympus digital camera processed with vsco with a6 preset

What Is Rewilidng?

Rewilding is the act of restoring a part of land to its natural, uncultivated state and then letting nature reclaim it. It is the process of restoration of an ecosystem, so that biodiversity is encouraged, wildlife returns and nature can begin living on its own once again. By rewilding your garden, you help to restore native animals, insects, and plants to the area no matter how small it is. Rewilding your garden is a way to give back to nature. Let her take the driving seat and do what she does best.

Rewilding is the act of restoring a part of land to its natural state

rewilding garden full of flowers and a bench

How To Rewild Your Garden?

Rewilding isn’t just reserved for huge heaps of land, big organizations and gardening professionals. The good news is that you can also do your bit for nature even if you have a small garden. Regardless how big your land is, rewilding will hold a ton of benefits for the soil, animals, plants, and even your well-being. Everything in nature has balance, however by taking control we often tip that balance off. That’s why it’s time to let nature take back its lands and show us how it’s done. And don’t worry, this doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some gardening fun, it just means to learn how to coexist with nature.

Rewilding isn’t just reserved for huge heaps of land

how to rewild your garden flowers

#Pollinator Friendly Plants

The first thing you can do is add more pollinator friendly plants to your garden. Choose plants that will provide a good amount of nectar and pollen all year round. There are plenty of bee-friendly and butterfly-friendly plants to pick from. By providing plenty of food for pollinators well help you to attract birds and other types of animals that are essential in creating a thriving ecosystem. Having plenty of flowers can also help suppress the growth of weeds and can even support your vegetable plants if they are good companion plants.

Choose plants that will provide a good amount of nectar and pollen all year round

how to rewild your garden bee on a blue flower

#Wild Flowers

You can create a miniature meadow in your very own garden by sowing a wildflower seed mix, which is of course, suitable for your soil. And the poorer the growing conditions, the better the wildflowers will grow. They are not use to nutrient-rich soil and scheduled watering. This makes them on the most low-maintenance plants. So, it’s a win-win. You don’t have to spend hours taking care of them, and they look stunning!

The poorer the growing conditions, the better the wildflowers will grow

medow of flowers and grass

#No Chemicals

Our picture-perfect lawns and gardens often cause more harm than good. And the chemicals in pesticides and fertilizers we use deplete and damage the soil in the long run. It also harms a ton of species. By using a ton of chemicals, billions of microbes, fungi, insects, etc. get harmed in the process. So, in order to rewild an area to its natural state, it’s important to avoid using chemicals. There are plenty of organic pest control ways and organic fertilizer you can make that will save you money and save the nature.

The chemicals in pesticides and fertilizers we use deplete and damage the soil

fertilizer of soil being scooped

#Let The Grass Grow

Mixing some types of grass can help with the biodiversity of your garden. Let the grass go longer, start mowing only once a month or less even! By just doing this you can quickly turn your garden into wildlife heaven. Keeping lawns neat and cut down is terrible for sustainability. Just think about all the energy used to mow them and the water to keep them lush. Not only will letting the grass grow longer be better for wildlife, it will also be easier for it to cope with wet winters and dry summers. And with plenty of grass, wildflowers will start popping in too.

Mixing some types of grass can help with the biodiversity of your garden

green grass left to grow long

#Water Source

Water is an easy way to attract wildlife into your garden. Even a small pond can do wonders, as they are one of the most rich wildlife habitats. You can add some stones or gravel to make a way for the wildlife to reach and exit the pond. Just make sure to make one side quite shallow, as a lot of amphibians prefer very shallow waters. If you have a stream in your garden you can also create a wetland or bog with a dam, by mimicking the work of beavers.

Water is an easy way to attract wildlife into your garden

pond in the garden with lilies

#Mulch

As we mentioned, there are a ton of microorganisms in the soil. And by constantly digging over our soil, it’s very easy to destroy said vital microorganisms that help to sustain plant life. So, when it comes to rewilding your garden, it’s better to mulch regularly rather than constantly digging. It’s easier and better for nature in order to keep things in balance. And instead of using chemical fertilizers you can easily make and use your very own compost.

When it comes to rewilding your garden, it’s better to mulch regularly

mulch on top of soil and sprouting plant

#Natural Fencing

Wondering how to rewild your garden and still have privacy? You don’t need to fancy, wooden fences or huge, metal bars to have some privacy in your garden. Rather revert to a natural way of fencing, such as using native hedging. It’s thick, so you won’t have peeping neighbors, it’s beautiful and lush, and it provides shelter to birds.

Revert to a natural way of fencing, such as using native hedging

natural fence made from bush

These were all the tips and tricks we have when it comes to how to rewild your garden. We hope you found this article useful. Now you can enjoy a beautiful, lush garden that’s existing in peace with nature. One filled with native flowers, animals, and harmony.

Enjoy a beautiful, lush garden

colorful meadow flowers purple and red

Sources: 

John Griffith

John Griffith is a young, passionate journalist. Writing has been John’s hobby ever since he was a boy. He has worked in some of the UK’s most successful news portals over the course of his professional career but found his forever home at Archzine.