Myth: Wildlife gardening can be in one small garden area
 
This supposes wildlife will recognise and only use the bit of your garden you have set-aside and designated for it!  As we saw with the small/large garden myth, ordinary gardens are great for wildlife, which will make the most use they can of all your plot. You may decide to make special efforts in one part of the garden, and even put up a sign saying, “Wildlife Patch”, but the wildlife will only respond if you have created (for example) new pollinator resources – and they will continue to use the rest of your garden too.
 
 
 
 
This area on the left above is typical "wildlife patch" in a large more horticulturally-managed garden, but the bugs are everywhere else too. Marc Carlton's garden on the right celebrates the fact that wild creatures will use all of the space available to them
 
You may want to dedicate most of your garden for one particular function – such as a playing area for children, or for a huge patio with barbecue and chiminea, in which case any wildlife friendly features you create will make a useful difference even if they are only in one small area.  Schools often have to separate their "wildlife garden" from the rest of their grounds, or it will be regularly mowed by the County contractors!
 
Television celebrity gardeners are partly to blame for the assumption that wildlife will live in a designated patch.  They often lead viewers to their special “Wildlife Area” – but that is so they can group wildlife-friendly features together for the camera.  Unfortunately, designating an area for wildlife won’t stop caterpillars ignoring this patch and happily munching away at the flowers in the rest of your garden – and good luck to them!
 
 
Page written by Steve Head: reviewed by Ken Thompson
 
Myth: Wildlife gardening can be in one small garden area
 
This supposes wildlife will recognise and only use the bit of your garden you have set-aside and designated for it!  As we saw with the small/large garden myth, ordinary gardens are great for wildlife, which will make the most use they can of all your plot. You may decide to make special efforts in one part of the garden, and even put up a sign saying, “Wildlife Patch”, but the wildlife will only respond if you have created (for example) new pollinator resources – and they will continue to use the rest of your garden too.
 
 
 
 
Myth: Wildlife can be in one small garden area 
 
This supposes wildlife will recognise and only use the bit of your garden you have set-aside and designated for it!  As we saw with the small/large garden myth, ordinary gardens are great for wildlife, which will make the most use they can of all your plot. You may decide to make special efforts in one part of the garden, and even put up a sign saying, “Wildlife Patch”, but the wildlife will only respond if you have created (for example) new pollinator resources – and they will continue to use the rest of your garden too.
 
 
 
 
This area on the left above is typical "wildlife patch" in a large, more horticulturally-managed garden, but the bugs are everywhere else too. Marc Carlton's garden on the right celebrates the fact that wild creatures will use all of the space available to them
 
 
You may want to dedicate most of your garden for one particular function – such as a playing area for children, or for a huge patio with barbecue and chiminea, in which case any wildlife friendly features you create will make a useful difference even if they are only in one small area.  Schools often have to separate their "wildlife garden" from the rest of their grounds, or it will be regularly mowed by the County contractors!
 
Television celebrity gardeners are partly to blame for the assumption that wildlife will live in a designated patch.  They often lead viewers to their special “Wildlife Area” – but that is so they can group wildlife-friendly features together for the camera.  Unfortunately, designating an area for wildlife won’t stop caterpillars ignoring this patch and happily munching away at the flowers in the rest of your garden – and good luck to them!
 
 
Page written by Steve Head: reviewed by Ken Thompson
 
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