Wildlife Gardening: Welcoming pollinators and garden friends Workshop

Transform your garden into a haven for bees, butterflies, birds, and beneficial insects!

Join us for an inspiring classroom session that will completely change how you think about your garden. Discover how simple changes can create a thriving wildlife paradise right outside your door—buzzing with bees, alive with birds, and teeming with helpful garden creatures.

Whether you have a large garden, a small courtyard, or just a few containers, you can make a real difference to local wildlife. Settle in with tea and biscuits as we explore practical, achievable ways to welcome nature into your outdoor space!

What you’ll learn

This relaxed, engaging classroom session uses a beautiful slideshow to inspire and inform. Bring a notepad and pen—you’ll be creating your own wildlife action plan!

Encouraging pollinators:

• Which plants bees, butterflies, and other pollinators love most
• Creating year-round nectar and pollen sources
• Native plants vs. garden varieties—what works best?
• Colour, scent, and flower shapes that attract different pollinators
• Simple changes that make a big difference

Creating wildlife homes:

• Building insect hotels (easier than you think!)
• Making log piles for beetles, hedgehogs, and invertebrates
• Where to position wildlife features for maximum benefit
• Natural nesting sites for solitary bees
• Providing shelter through winter

The art of benign neglect:

• To tidy or not to tidy? (Spoiler: sometimes messy is better!)
• When to cut plants back—and when to leave them standing
• Seed heads as beautiful winter structure AND bird food
• Dead wood as vital habitat
• Leaf litter: nature’s perfect composting system

Water and feeding stations:

• Adding water features and ponds (from grand to tiny!)
• Why even a small saucer of water helps
• Making your own bird feeders from simple materials
• What to feed birds (and what to avoid!)
• Year-round water provision

Your personal wildlife plan: During the session, you’ll:

• Make a list of wildlife-friendly actions you can take at home
• Identify which creatures you’d most like to encourage
• Create a planting plan for pollinator-friendly plants
• Share experiences and ideas with fellow wildlife enthusiasts
• Decide what’s practical and achievable for YOUR space

What’s included

• 2-hour inspiring classroom session with tea and biscuits ☕🍪
• Slideshow with wildlife garden examples
• Expert guidance from an experienced horticulturist
• Time to create your own wildlife action plan
• Group discussion and experience sharing
• Plant lists for pollinators through the seasons
• Practical DIY guides (insect hotels, bird feeders, log piles)
• Resources for further reading (books, websites, suppliers)
• Ideas for every budget and garden size

What you’ll achieve

By the end of this workshop, you’ll:

• Understand what different wildlife species need to thrive
• Know which plants attract bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects
• Have practical plans for creating wildlife homes and feeding stations
• Understand the “less tidy” approach and when it benefits wildlife
• Be able to make your own insect hotels and bird feeders
• Have a personalized action plan for your own garden
• Know where to buy wildlife-friendly plants and materials
• Feel confident making your garden an ecological haven
• Be part of a community of wildlife-friendly gardeners!

Perfect for

Anyone wanting to help declining bee and butterfly populations, gardeners looking to create a more natural, sustainable garden, people who love watching birds and insects, those wanting to garden more ecologically, parents wanting to create a nature-rich space for children, or anyone curious about rewilding on a garden scale. If you’ve ever felt guilty about your “messy” garden this workshop will celebrate it!

What to expect

This is a warm, welcoming classroom session where your enthusiasm for nature matters more than gardening expertise! We’ll explore beautiful examples of wildlife gardens, discuss what works (and what doesn’t), and you’ll have time to plan practical changes for your own space.

There’s plenty of opportunity to share your own experiences. Seen a hedgehog recently? Noticed fewer bees? Had success with a particular plant? Your observations and questions enrich everyone’s learning. It’s as much a conversation as a class, all while enjoying tea and biscuits in good company!

Please bring: Notepad and pen for creating your wildlife action plan and plant lists. We’ll have paper available if needed!

Workshop details