Turn your back garden into a wildlife sanctuary with these simple tasks.

Yes, the weather may be miserable and full of rain – but that doesn’t mean the gardening tasks have come to a sudden halt. in fact, November is the perfect month to make sure your green spaces are all set up for animals to find solace and food during the incoming frosty winter. Protecting wildlife isn’t just a nice thing to do to spot the off hedgehog or rare bird in your garden, it also helps contribute to the wellbeing of an ecosystem, improves soil quality, an even helps to reduce climate change. So, let’s crack on with it!

1. Don’t cut your ivy

Ivy is a great source of nectar and pollen for late-flying insects, which won’t appreciate if you cut the plant down. Later in the winter, the berries will also provide food for birds. If you need to cut your ivy back, make sure you leave some berries and don’t prune it all at once. “I rotationally prune a third each year,” said Suffolk Wilddlife Trust’s Susan Stone. “For example, if you have three ivy bushes, prune one, or if you only have one ivy bush, prune a third of it. This also helps reduce the weight of arborescent ivy which can be a problem if on walls etc. Ivy is also valuable roosting cover for birds and hibernation for insects, so it’s good to not be too drastic.”

2. Leave seedheads

According to Gardeners’ World, you should leave the seed heads of ‘herbaceous’ plants including fennel, teasel, and echinacea as they provide food birds such as goldfinches and house sparrows as well as small mammals. They also provide homes for insects through the winter. The publication states should also leave plants with attractive seedheads, including rudbeckia, eryngium, and hydrangea to provide winter interest.

3. Feed the birds

While November is a great time for birds to munch on berries and seedheads, supply can sometimes run low – and giving them a help in hand could allow you to spot some pretty stunning creatures returning to your garden every day. “Obviously it helps for the food to be as calorific as possible and seeds, nuts and fat are best of all,” said acclaimed horticulturist Monty Don. “Left-over Pastry, bread and rice always get eaten fast and fruit is good, especially for blackbirds and thrushes. Grated cheese is popular as well as cooked (but not raw) potatoes.” The gardening ace advises against feeding birds ‘anything salty’ such as crisps, salted peanuts or bacon – adding that he personally buys dried mealworms to attract robins, tits, and wrens.

4. Create wildlife stacks

Gardeners’ World recommends making use of all your prunings and clippings of shrubby material to create a dry ‘wildlife stack’. It should be kept out of the way to not scare any potential winter homeowners like insects and birds, such as behind a shed. “Any clippings can be used and the pile added to throughout autumn,’ the pros added. “For bigger logs, try creating a dead wood habitat.”

5. Plant crocus bulbs

November is the ideal time to plant tulips, garlic, and shallots – but it’s also the perfect opportunity to plant crocus bulbs so they will bloom in spring. These will be a great source of food for hungry queen bumblebees. Make sure to keep these stunning blooms in a sunny spot and water well. You can grow them in a pot or plant them directly into borders – making sure bulbs are burried at a depth of around three times their size.