Welcome to the final edition of our 2023 wildlife-friendly gardening blog series.  

I can’t be the only one thinking ‘where did that year go?!' Shorter days do limit what we can do outside, but this is a great time to reflect on what went well in the garden, and what more we can do for wildlife in our green spaces. If you are starting from scratch, and would like some ideas, please check out our guide to planning a wildlife-friendly space 

It’s good to have something in flower in every season and winter is no exception. Winter flowering shrubs can be lifesavers for insects on mild days. Plants to consider include sweet box (Sarcococca confusa), winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) and winter honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima). 

In December look out for our Species of the Month, the redwing. These winter migrants are searching for berry-bearing shrubs such as holly, viburnum, or pyracantha, and are often seen in mixed flocks with fieldfare. Seed feeding goldfinches will be tucking into the seed heads you have left in your flower borders; they especially love teasels! Listen out for sounds of foxes from now until February. The triple ‘hup-hup-hup’ calls are males roaming territories searching for a mate. The vixens are only receptive for around 20 days, and they let the males know this with ‘blood-curdling’ screams. 

With a clear view of twigs and branches, winter is the best time to prune apples and pears. By doing this you will increase next year’s crop and provide more blossom for insects. Similarly, you can rejuvenate deciduous climbers and wall shrubs by removing a proportion of older stems. Save any long stems for next year’s stakes or plant supports and add other trimmings to your log pile. Winter is also a good time to take hard wood cuttings from deciduous shrubs such as dogwoods (Cornus) and flowering currant (Ribes). It’s very satisfying to grow things from scratch, plus you might save a few pennies and reduce your carbon footprint too! 

There are lots of other ideas of how to reduce our impact on the environment on our actions to help wildlife page, including tips on how to have an eco-friendly Christmas. Finally, why not add a festive touch to your bird feeding station by making a Christmas bird wreath.  

Thank you for gardening for wildlife, every positive action you take makes a big difference. Help us create a Wilder Dorset in 2024 by chatting with your friends, family and communities about creating more wildlife friendly spaces.  

Festive greetings and best wishes for 2024!