As you would expect, Bliss & Blossom can advise you on plants that will attract birds, butterflies and bees into your garden, whatever its size. But we can also help you to provide shelter and hibernation facilities for insects and small animals, give you details of what to feed your visitors, where to site bird boxes and roosting pockets etc. and how to set up a pond which will provide essential drinking water, bathing facilities and homes for many creatures. There are some important dos and don'ts when considering wildlife. Feeding the wrong food, not keeping feeding areas clean, and not providing a means of escape from water for animals like hedgehogs who fall in, for example, can do more harm than good. So if you need help with attracting wildlife to your garden, give us a call. In the meantime here are a few basic dos and don'ts.

Site your feeders, bird tables and baths away from windows (ouch!) and where cats (who kill an estimated 60,000,000 birds a year in the U.K.) can't get at them.

Regularly remove stale food, and clean feeding areas and bird baths thoroughly. E-coli and salmonella kill birds, too.

Provide fresh water all year round, especially in freezing conditions, when it is essential for birds to bathe and keep their feathers in tip-top condition for insulation against the cold.

Plant native trees and shrubs such as hawthorn and cotoneaster which provide food, shelter, and nesting sites.

Take care when using strimmers - they can cause terrible injuries to unsuspecting wildlife such as hedgehogs.

Don't use blue slug pellets. There are effective, wildlife-friendly alternatives.

Avoid putting out whole peanuts and fat balls during the breeding season since they can be fatal to young birds.