Ben Vanheems of BBOWT explains how back gardens can become valuable refuges as habitats come under pressure elsewhere

You would have to be an exceptionally early riser to witness the official start of autumn, which this year occurs when the equinox falls at precisely 03.29 on Tuesday.

Autumn is the perfect time to make a commitment to helping nature out as she pauses for breath. Many creatures will be thinking about going into hibernation, plants will be starting to shed their leaves, while plans can be set in motion ready for next year’s growing season.

This week is also Wild About Gardens Week, an annual celebration of wildlife gardening organised by The Wildlife Trusts and the Royal Horticultural Society. It’s a call to action to support native plants and animals on our own plots. The theme this year is pollinators and their need for overwintering sites, though of course all animals great or small will welcome whatever help we are able to offer.

Britain’s gardens cover more land than its nature reserves, making them valuable wildlife refuges as habitats come under pressure elsewhere. Indeed, the variety of plants and features contained within the average garden means that there’s often more wildlife to be found at the back of your house than the countryside beyond!

Your garden doesn’t have to become overgrown or ‘neglected’ to benefit wildlife. Even if you prefer a crisp, modernist style to a traditional cottage garden you can play host to a myriad of wild visitors and residents. Wildlife needs just four things to thrive: food, water, shelter and a place to breed. Provide a few of these and nature will call your garden home no matter what it looks like.

Feeding birds is a good place to start. Fill your feeders and the likes of robins, blue tits, blackbirds and finches will come flocking in. If you have the space, stoke the lower end of the food chain by installing a pond to attract insects, frogs and other amphibians. If you don’t have the space, a small water feature draws in almost as many creatures.

Compost heaps reap rewards for both gardener and wildlife. Not only do they develop their own minibeast communities they can shelter small animals such as hedgehogs, mice, slow-worms and nesting grass snakes.

As night-times become longer than daytimes why not become a winter wildlife champion by growing flowers to support late and early-season pollinators, including bees? Ivy, sedum and Michaelmas daisies lead the autumn line-up, while crocuses, wallflowers and primroses will open the nectar buffet early next year.

Don’t be too fastidious when it’s time for the autumn clean-up; leave a few piles of leaves in out-of-the-way corners for hibernating hedgehogs and resist cutting back flower borders until the very end of winter.

Leaves and dead stems provide hibernating homes for insects such as ladybirds, while seed heads and windfall fruit give rich pickings for feathered friends like the goldfinch and fieldfare.

If you fancy flexing your green fingers beyond the garden fence consider helping out as a BBOWT wildlife gardening volunteer. BBOWT’s Mark Bradfield coordinates a group that meets on alternate Fridays at the Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre, near Didcot.

The group tends the centre’s wildlife garden, home to a range of wildlife-friendly plants and habitats such as log piles, ponds, dry-stone walls and a bug hotel made from old palettes.

“The garden is a great place to seek wildlife gardening inspiration for your own garden. It demonstrates how easy it is to create spaces for wildlife, no matter how much room you have and what your gardening style,” says Mark.

“I would be very happy to talk to anyone interested in joining our wildlife gardening group — come and have a go!” he adds. Mark can be contacted at markbradfield@bbowt.org.uk So with nature fluffing up its duvet for the winter slumber ahead, now’s your chance to lend a helping hand, whether at home or elsewhere.