{"id":5026,"date":"2026-08-06T13:05:11","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T12:05:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.urbanbees.co.uk\/blog_1\/?p=5026"},"modified":"2026-08-06T13:25:51","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T12:25:51","slug":"wildlife-friendly-garden-maintenance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.urbanbees.co.uk\/blog_1\/?p=5026","title":{"rendered":"Wildlife-friendly garden maintenance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urbanbees.co.uk\/blog_1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Mark-Schofield-No-Mow-May-Garden-Gallery-1-1536x864-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5030\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.urbanbees.co.uk\/blog_1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Mark-Schofield-No-Mow-May-Garden-Gallery-1-1536x864-2.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.urbanbees.co.uk\/blog_1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Mark-Schofield-No-Mow-May-Garden-Gallery-1-1536x864-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.urbanbees.co.uk\/blog_1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Mark-Schofield-No-Mow-May-Garden-Gallery-1-1536x864-2-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">How you maintain a green space is as important as its creation to provide habitat for wildlife<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>DO<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Allow trees and shrubs to flower. Neat hedges and sculptured trees deprive pollinators of food, and shelter for birds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Let \u2018weeds\u2019 grow \u2013 dandelions and alkanet provide essential food for pollinators in spring.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Leave an area of long grass where some species of bees may nest and wildflowers can grow, like clovers (photo above courtesy of Mark Schofield at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.plantlife.org.uk\/campaigns\/nomowmay\/#what-is-no-mow-may\">No Mow May<\/a>).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Water flowering plants. Even drought-tolerant plants retain nectar if they are thirsty, leaving little for pollinators. Without sufficient nectar and pollen, bees will struggle to feed their offspring. If you are going away, install a timed, drip hose irrigation system.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep pebbles in a saucer topped up with water to give bees a drink.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pile up logs for beetles and other insects to nest.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pile up leaves in late summer for queen bumblebees to hunker down.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Leave dead stems and leaf litter over winterwhere bees, butterfly and moth caterpillars, or chrysalises, and other insects, can nest or shelter.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Leave seed heads over winter to feed birds.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"426\" height=\"946\" data-id=\"5031\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urbanbees.co.uk\/blog_1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/donttidyoverwinter2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5031\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.urbanbees.co.uk\/blog_1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/donttidyoverwinter2.jpg 426w, https:\/\/www.urbanbees.co.uk\/blog_1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/donttidyoverwinter2-135x300.jpg 135w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 426px) 100vw, 426px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"426\" height=\"946\" data-id=\"5032\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urbanbees.co.uk\/blog_1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/flowerheadsinwinter.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5032\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.urbanbees.co.uk\/blog_1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/flowerheadsinwinter.jpg 426w, https:\/\/www.urbanbees.co.uk\/blog_1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/flowerheadsinwinter-135x300.jpg 135w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 426px) 100vw, 426px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>DON\u2019T<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use pesticides, weed killers or any kind of bug spray as they are toxic for pollinators.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cut all grass short, or trim, or cut back trees before they have flowered<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pull up all weeds<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dig soil &#8211; caterpillars and pupae may be sheltering.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tidy up in winter.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How you maintain a green space is as important as its creation to provide habitat for wildlife DO DON\u2019T<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[66],"class_list":["post-5026","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blogs","tag-gardening-for-bees"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - 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