Spare a thought for wildlife when letting your garden sleep this winter

But it’s a long time from now until March and although the majority of the garden may well sleep through the next few months, there are some things which aren’t allowed the luxury of a rest and the chance to recharge their batteries.

Gardens aren’t just about plants – they are also about wildlife; birds and animals, many of whom have to fight to survive before that promised spring finally arrives. A little help from us, the gardeners, could make a world of difference to their chances of making it.

So spare a thought for all those small but very valuable garden helpers by putting out food and drink throughout the year - and go even further by creating welcoming habitats.

Trees can be the difference between life and death for a host of birds, insects and small mammals. Trees provide food and shelter. And trees also look good.

Take the common silver birch (Betula) – several invertebrates feed on it, and dead or decaying birches are important for fungi and, in spring, nesting birds. The insects and prolific amount of seed are also attractive to many birds.

And when the leaves have all fallen, brilliant white birch bark has the ability to brighten up the dullest day.

Holly (Ilex aquifolium) also provides shelter and protection. Its berries are food for birds during the winter and it can also offer protection from the worst of the weather.

The berries of mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia) are an important food source for blackbirds, starlings, redwings and even rooks and crows. The trees also attract insects which are another great source of nutrition for small birds.

Creating a rich habitat of trees, shrubs and flowers throughout the year – not just in winter - is the key to helping wildlife survive.

Duckweed

Cleaning and clearing are two of the biggest chores know to man; without those particular activities, things will get out of hand and the garden will no longer be a garden – it will be a mess.

So, collecting and composting trees of leaves, cutting back and hacking down dead and dying herbaceous foliage, digging out perennial weeds, de-mossing paths and patios and – vitally – fettling the pond, are necessities as autumn approaches.

Yes, the pond and the scourge of Common duckweed (Lemna minor) which deprives water of oxygen and leads to the death of fish and beneficial algae, so if you want healthy fish and/or a healthy pond, it’s vital to get rid of before it has the chance to turn your still waters into a mass of green vegetation. The best way, but, unfortunately, the wettest and dirtiest way to control such an invasive plant is to get hands-on and manually turf it out.

Duckweed is an immensely successful plant; it grows and spreads with amazing speed. A tiny piece of the plant, introduced among the foliage of an aquatic plant, can soon colonise large areas, feeding on nutrients in the water.

So another way to fight it (although it won’t eradicate the problem) is to reduce the amount of nutrients in the pond, thus depriving duckweed of what it needs to grow and spread.

Catch falling leaves in autumn before they reach the pond floor by placing a net on the water surface. Any build-up of rich sediment can be scooped out from the bottom of the pond.

As for the weed itself – gently remove it from the surface with a net or fine-tined rake and leave it on the soil at the side. This will allow any beneficial bugs in the duckweed to escape back into the pond.

Hedge

Some gardeners are pleased to see the arrival of autumn because it means less work and the opportunity to get everything neat and tidy before winter enters the equation.

Other gardeners are happy because it means they can do essential work that is best achieved as the days grow shorter and the nights grow longer. For example, planting a new deciduous hedge.

Hedges can provide a living shield between you and the world, and depending on the species, you can have year-round foliage or just seasonal interest.

Wildlife can find refuge in hedges, which also filter wind without creating turbulence, which is one of the big problems with solid structures.

Planting a hedge is straightforward if you follow some simple steps. Dig a 90cm strip (150cm for boundary hedges). Fork in plenty of compost or well-rotted manure.

Use either bare-root or container-grown plants and plant along a line approx 45cm apart for deciduous and 90cm for conifers.

If your garden is in an exposed position, protect young conifers with a mesh windbreak. Water all plants well, apply ageneral fertilizer in early spring and water regularly throughout the next growing season.

Hedges don’t need to be made up of a single species. If there’s the space, a mixed hedge can provide a suitable bridge between the garden and the ground beyond.

If you’ve don’t want things to be too regimented, let it grow a little wild - clematis climbing through a tangle of branches will create a wonderful splash of colour.