About the program....

Natural England's Gardening with wildlife in mind aims to help people choose plants likely to attract wildlife. It also shows what eats what in the garden.

Making your garden a better place for wildlife doesn't mean turning it into a wilderness. Stopping the use of pesticides will mean more bees, ladybirds, hoverflies and butterflies. A less manicured garden will be appreciated by birds and mammals. If you want to create areas to benefit wild species - a pond, a hedge or a meadow - this program can help - with wildlife gardening tips, other practical advice and a bibliography and links to useful websites.

The information here is not a definitive guide to all garden wildlife but focuses on 300 or so distinctive and desirable species. Also included are a few species like slugs and snails. Most gardeners would rather not have these but there is no escape from them! They are not all bad, either. They provide food for animals and birds like frogs and song thrushes and help to break down decaying vegetation.

You can look for a specific plant or creature - or you can search for a whole category and browse through the results. You can also stop at any point and explore the links within a complex food chain. If you decide to grow plants that you have found in the database, you can make and print a wish list.

To begin click the Search menu or for more information Help. If you like this site, why not bookmark it and come back another time? We'd like your views and suggestions on this program. Changes can easily be made.

Please e-mail any comments to e-mail Steve Berry, call 01273 407956 or write to Natural England, 33 North Street, Lewes, BN7 2PH.