Insect decline is on everyone's mind – and every garden owner can make a contribution. A nature-oriented garden does not have to look untidy. On the contrary: with the right planning, you create a garden that looks beautiful, needs little maintenance and at the same time provides a home for bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects.
Why garden for insects?
Insects are indispensable for our ecosystem:
- Pollination: Without bees, bumblebees and hoverflies, no fruit trees, berry bushes or vegetables
- Pest control: Ladybirds, lacewings and parasitic wasps keep aphids in check
- Food chain: Insects are the food source for birds, hedgehogs and bats
- Soil health: Soil creatures like earthworms loosen and enliven the soil
Choosing the right plants
Native wild perennials
Native plants are perfectly adapted to our insects. Particularly valuable:
- Wild carrot, yarrow, meadow sage: Provide nectar and pollen over extended periods
- Viper's bugloss: One of the best bee plants of all
- Bellflowers: Important for specialised wild bees
- Evening primrose: Blooms in the evening for moths
Follow a flowering calendar
Insects need food from spring to autumn. Plan so that something is always in bloom:
- Spring (March–May): Crocus, snowdrops, pussy willows, fruit trees
- Early summer (June–July): Lavender, thyme, sage, cranesbill
- Midsummer (July–August): Coneflower, stonecrop, oregano, wild teasel
- Autumn (September–October): Autumn asters, ivy, Japanese anemone
What to avoid
- Double flowers: Look pretty but offer hardly any nectar (e.g. double roses, dahlias)
- Exotic thuja hedges: Ecologically almost worthless – better: hornbeam, privet or wild roses
- Stone deserts: Gravel gardens are the opposite of biodiversity
Structural elements in a natural garden
Deadwood and brush piles
Deadwood is not waste but habitat! Old branches and tree trunks provide:
- Nesting sites for wild bees (in old beetle tunnels)
- Shelter for hedgehogs, lizards and beetles
- Food for fungi and decomposers
Dry stone walls and rock piles
Natural stone walls without mortar provide living space in their joints for warmth-loving insects, lizards and wild plants. A rock pile in a sunny corner quickly becomes a biotope.
Water features
Insects also need water. A shallow dish with stones (as a landing pad) is enough. Even better: a small pond or stream.
Wildflower meadow instead of lawn
Not the entire lawn needs to become a meadow – even a partial area is enough:
- Lean soil is ideal (do not fertilise!)
- Use regional seed mixes (e.g. Rieger-Hofmann or Saaten Zeller)
- Mow only 1–2 times per year, remove cuttings
- Patience: a true wildflower meadow needs 2–3 years to fully develop
Sustainable materials
Sustainability can also be considered in garden construction itself:
- Regional natural stone instead of concrete or imported granite
- Recycled material for path construction and sub-base
- Wood from sustainable forestry (FSC/PEFC certified)
- Peat-free soil – peat extraction destroys valuable bogs
Plant protection without chemicals
In a nature-oriented garden, much regulates itself:
- Beneficial insects (ladybirds, lacewings) combat aphids
- Mixed planting reduces pest infestation
- Robust, site-appropriate plants are less susceptible
- Nettle liquid and horsetail tea strengthen plants
Conclusion
An insect-friendly, nature-oriented garden is no contradiction to a well-maintained, beautiful garden. With the right plant selection and a few structural elements, you create a small paradise – for yourself and for nature.
Would you like to transform your garden to be closer to nature? We are happy to advise you and implement your project – from insect-friendly perennial beds to wildflower meadows. Contact us or call us on 05221 76 40 585.