Even a couple of centimetres will do. Top it up daily and keep it away from cats but close to a tree or shrub, so birds don't feel too exposed. A bit of green algal growth is OK, but if birds bathe in the water change it regularly and clean the bowl to reduce the risk of disease or parasite spread. Tap water is safe to use. Birds need shallow water for both bathing and drinking. Bird baths can also help the wildlife in your garden cope with the effects of climate change.

Make out of a pre-formed pond liner, plastic bin lid or bowl. Make it flush with ground level, so the lawn edge can merge into it and with one side sloping, to let animals in and out. Wildlife needs shelter, so provide small native plants like frogbit and water crowfoot, but not rushes and reeds (they grow too quickly). Shelter from strong winds and sun so it won't dry out. Avoid tap water and fill with rainwater. Even a tiny pond is a new habitat in your garden that is great for frogs, newts and insects and it can also help your garden to cope with the effects of climate change. Details

Any size larger than a square metre will do. Line with butyl pond liner, preformed liner or clay. Choose a size and shape to fit your garden. Most wildlife stays in shallow water (2cm), so make sure there are shallow sloping sides. The deepest point need be no more than 40cm. Avoid tap water; it contains phosphates; use rainwater and top up with the overflow from a water butt. Ponds can be dangerous for children, so fence in or cover with safety mesh. Garden ponds probably contribute more to garden wildlife than anything except mature trees. Details

A little algal and blanket weed growth is good for wildlife, so let your pond manage itself. If plants cover more than 80 per cent of the pond, remove any excess in late autumn, when most amphibians are gone. Use a rake to lift out plants and weed. Pile this on the side of the pond for a day so that anything trapped can escape. Make sure you compost it away from the pond. Although it's good not to disturb ponds too much, some careful management helps wildlife to flourish. Details

This needs to be permanently damp soil to let moisture-loving plants and animals thrive. Dig a hole about 30cm deep. Line it with butyl pond liner, and fill with the soil. Ideally place it next to a pond, so that excess water drains into it and the bog garden will blend to be part of the pond. In a dry spell, a bog garden is refreshingly green when the rest of the garden has wilted. Its lush vegetation is a superb habitat for frogs and can be planted with attractive native and non-native flowers.

Lucky you having this - not much management required. Don't contaminate with fertilisers or chemicals, or dump waste or old vegetation nearby. Look after any surrounding vegetation and remove man-made objects that may have fallen in. Only remove silt build-up in ditches if it could cause flooding (it's a good habitat). Say no to pumped streams and waterfalls, which do little for wildlife and use expensive electricity. Running water in streams or ditches offers a different habitat to ponds, and helps animals migrate through built-up areas.

There are lots to buy, or make your own from a plastic bottle. Hang in a place that's good for birds: out of the reach of cats and, if possible, near a tree or shrub to provide a refuge. A good seed mix attracts a variety of birds. Keep the feeder stocked all year, as birds will come to rely on it, and clean it regularly. Occasionally re-position to avoid a build up of droppings and clean regularly. Vital for keeping garden bird populations going when natural food is in short supply - all of the year.

Hang a mesh feeder for peanuts. Don't use whole nuts, as birds can choke on them. Buy aflatoxin-free peanuts - not the sort you eat, especially not salted. There are plenty of specialist stockists on the high street and online. Stock all year, as birds can come to rely on your supply; clean regularly and re-position occasionally to avoid build-up of droppings. If grey squirrels raid your feeders, try squirrel-proof alternatives. Nuts are an excellent source of energy and are especially important in colder times.

Make a high-energy supplement from suet/fat, peanut flour and seeds. Suet treats come in a variety of forms such as fat balls or cake that can be hung individually or put in a feeder that holds several, or in coconut shells or specialist bird-treat blocks. Make your own by smearing fat mixed with seeds on a tree or wall, or into half coconut shells/upturned yoghurt pots. Fatty food is great for small birds during cold times of year, as they need it to keep warm.

Bird tables should be at least 1.2m off the ground and in a quiet spot, near a tree or shrub, and away from cats. You can buy many different types or make your own. A simple table can be made of wood, metal or plastic. Fix a smooth plastic drainpipe round the base pole or legs to deter squirrels, rats and cats. Provide a mix of food including nuts, seeds and scraps like cooked potatoes and rice (not uncooked). Fat balls and natural food such as berries and seed-heads attract a variety of birds.

Use fresh coconut to attract tits in particular. Buy whole or a half and hang from trees or a bird table. Remove if it goes mouldy and don't use desiccated coconut as this can swell up in a bird's stomach and kill them. When all the coconut is gone, refill the shells with suet/fat mix. Coconut is a good source of fat and protein for small birds. Watch them perform acrobatics to get at it.

Bright spring flowering plants look great and supply essential nectar for over-wintering insects like peacock and brimstone butterflies and others that need to 'fuel up' before reproducing. Primroses, bulbs and shrubs such as skimmia are good choices. Most insects will feed on both native and non-native flowers, if they are a good source of nectar. Having plants flowering all year round means a constant supply of food for a wide variety of insects.

Wildlife is most active in summer, with all nectar sources a target for insects. There is a wonderful range of plants to choose from: lavender, cornflower, and willow herb (beautiful by water) and white nicotiana (great for night-flying moths). Most insects will feed on native and non-native flowers, if they are a good source of nectar. Flowers all of the year means a constant supply of food for a wide variety of insects.

Autumn flowering plants look great and are a vital source of nectar for late flying insects, especially those preparing to over-winter. Michaelmas daisy, hebe, thistle and teasel, and fuchsia will keep flowering until the first frosts. Most insects will feed on native and non-native flowers, if they are a good source of nectar. Flowers all of the year means a constant supply of food for a wide variety of insects.

Winter flowering plants look great and are vital for insects that wake from hibernation in a warm spell, so they can take nectar on board and find a new hibernation spot before it turns cold again. Viburnum, Christmas rose, winter flowering jasmine, and cherry provide a good source of nectar and pollen. Most insects feed on any good source of nectar whether native or non-native. Flowers all of the year means a constant supply of food for a wide variety of insects.

Got mature trees in or around your garden? Lucky you. Make sure that you take care of them. If you think an old tree could be dangerous call your council tree officer, and only let a recommended tree surgeon do any work. Is your garden too small for trees? Why not try small varieties in containers or help to get more planted locally. Planting trees is one of the best things you can do to help wildlife and it also helps your garden to cope with some of the effects of climate change.

Before you plant fruit or nut-bearing trees or, shrubs, find out what they look like, what soil they need - and how fast and big they grow. Plant bare-root trees and shrubs from October to March. Container specimens can be planted at any time. Rowan, holly, and hawthorn are attractive native plants in winter with distinctive flowers and fruits. These plants offer cover, nesting sites and a vital source of autumn/winter food too.

A variety of good things come in boxes. Try flowers to attract bees, or herbs to home ladybirds - and spice up your food. Even a patch of grass helps wildlife, so fancy a mini wildflower meadow? Containers need regular water, and mulch to insulate in winter and stop drying out in summer. If you plant annuals, clean and replant boxes in late spring, giving over-wintering insects time to leave. A window box is great for a small space and attracts a variety of wildlife.

Never use sphagnum moss - it is never sustainably harvested and should be left in the wild. Solid baskets with drainage holes are best at retaining water. Plant flowers rich in nectar for insects and trailing plants such as ivy for colour and shelter. Be creative with pot vegetables, herbs and strawberries. In the summer water every evening, and use water-retaining granules in soil/compost. A basket is a great way to create a green corridor for wildlife to move about in a small space.

Make your lawn more wildlife-friendly and sustainable by giving up using selective herbicide to fight weeds. Some weeds are useful native plants, so remove just damaging plants like dandelions or ragwort with a thin trowel. Avoid fertiliser, as it causes excessive growth (and mowing) and inhibits other plants from growing. Leave a little moss; it's a good habitat. Lawns are homes to many insects and are good places for birds to forage. Details

Don't cut the lawn quite so often - let it grow a bit longer. It will retain water better and let clover flower, which supplies vital nectar to bumblebees. Don't water as much in hot summers, as it is incredibly wasteful; the lawn may turn brownish but will green-up again when it rains. Still can’t resist mowing? then why not leave some patches to get longer and flower? – these are important refuges for mini-beasts and small mammals and provide food sources for birds too.

Just like a hay meadow, try letting your lawn grow unchecked until May or June before you cut it. This gives plants a chance to grow, to flower and set seed - and it increases the wildlife value. In a few years you will be amazed at the species that appear - even some common orchids might thrive. You can help wildflowers by putting in plugs of suitable species: cowslips, ox-eye daisies, clover and trefoils. OK, it may not look immaculate but long grass is home to moths, grasshoppers, beetles, and frogs.

Not only fab for wildlife but also fashionable: top designers now recognise the summer beauty of a wildflower meadow. Start with a small area (a few metres) in an open, sunny spot. Be patient: careful weeding and cutting is needed in the first few years. If the grass grows too strong, plant some yellow rattle, a beautiful wildflower that weakens grass's dominance. Like all rare gems, wildflower meadows are worth it. These stunning habitats help to increase the number of plants and animals.

Get to know the weeds in your garden. Nearly all are native species, and can be useful food for insects, birds and mammals. Get a guide and identify them; there are many interesting species. Look closely at mosses and liverworts and you'll find some fascinating structures. Mosses are home to an extraordinary variety of microscopic animals, adapted to survive alternating periods of wet and dry conditions. Insects such as bees need certain native plants, so leave some of them to encourage biodiversity in your garden.

You can help to protect vulnerable plants by planting together with aromatic and nectar-rich plants. African and Mexican marigolds produce chemicals that inhibit slugs and worms that damage root crops. Smelly herbs can repel cabbage white butterflies, and yarrow attracts hover-flies whose larvae eat aphids. Put clover in grass seed to fix nitrogen and make grass grow better. Companion planting can provide better growth, pollination and protection against pests - and reduces the need for chemicals.

Don't introduce or encourage dangerously invasive plants in your garden, as they can escape and devastate natural habitats. Many invasive plants (like rhododendron ponticum) are causing problems in England. Don't dump garden debris into the wider environment, especially if it contains invasive species; compost it instead and if really needed burn diseased vegetation. If in doubt, seek advice.

Be tolerant of toadstools in your garden, apart from honey fungus, which can spread and kill important trees and shrubs. Fairy rings in lawns can seem unsightly, but the grass will recover. Many fungi are beneficial for tree roots and soil. Try something different in your garden- you can now buy special cultures of edible fungi, like the oyster mushroom. The toadstools that come up in your lawn, or the brackets growing out of dead wood, are harmless, fascinating and part of our rich habitat. Details

Dig a couple of square meters for an arable flower patch of corncockles and cornflowers. Once common in England's ploughed land, these flowers can't compete against grasses in permanent beds, and they need disturbed soil. Weed out strong grasses and the flowers should germinate quickly. Leave the seed heads for wildlife, and to self-seed, then weed and rake at the end of the year. The plants may appear the following year. An arable flower patch is a haven for nectar-seeking insects.

Use containers to grow a variety of plants, either in a single tub or tubs of different sizes, arranged in groups. Try dwarf fruit trees or bushes and herbs (e.g. thyme) and fill the edges with nectar-bearing flowers or grasses - supplying food to you and wildlife. Containers let you grow plants unsuited to your local soil, along with tender perennials or biennials. This is a great way to create a green corridor for wildlife in a small space.

Make place for creepers and climbing plants in the garden for their wildlife benefits and beauty. Ivy offers great cover and food, especially for some caterpillars, and honeysuckle attracts beautiful moths at night. There's also humble bramble, wild roses and ornamental clematis. Consider morning glory, cup-and-saucer vine, annual sweet pea, ever-lasting pea, climbing hydrangea or ornamental grapes. Climbing plants create habitats and cover for wildlife, as well as nectar-rich flowers and fruits.

Plant a mixed-species hedge to replace (or grow over) a low wall or fence. Hedges are a great way to get a variety of important native trees in a small garden (plants like hazel, blackthorn or holly). Think about berries, elderflowers, rose hips, and blackthorn (sloes) in your hedge - you'll get an edible harvest too. If you've room let some trees grow on up, leaving gaps of around 10m. Hedges offer shelter and food for birds and mammals such as hedgehogs.

Plant over or through a man-made fence and create a 'fedge'. Ivy is great to use, as its dense growth is a refuge for insects and birds, and its nectar and berries are a valuable food source. Russian vine, Virginia creeper or flowering climbers such as ivy, jasmine, briar rose, sweet pea and honeysuckle are also good options. Grow wildlife-friendly plants through or over ugly treated wooden or chain link fences. It improves the look of your garden and adds valuable sources of food and shelter.

Plant a living fence that's made from lengths of live willow shoots. Cheap and easy to grow, weave it together as you plant it in the winter (when soil is wet). It will burst into leaf and new growth in spring. Prune and shape as it grows; you can form into tunnels and domes that are fun habitats for children. Being deciduous, willow is less of a screen in winter than conventional hedges. It's a great plant for many insects that is easy and fun to plant as a living fence that takes up very little space. Details

Keep hedges under control but go for a 'country hedge' rather than a neat one. Grow to around 1.5-3m tall and trim horizontal branches before they're too strong and the hedge is too thick. Keep it dense right down to the ground, so it gives cover and shelter for mammals like hedgehogs, mice, toads and frogs. Don't cut March-August, as birds may be nesting. Cut in winter after the hedge has fruited and produced berries; these provide food for birds and mice. Hedges offer vital shelter for wildlife and a valuable source of food.

Do you have a variety of habitats and/or structural diversity in your garden? You need to have six of the following: large tree, deciduous small tree, evergreen small tree, evergreen shrub, deciduous shrub, tall perennials, dense structured perennials or annuals, long grass, lawn, rockery or a pond to add this wildlife wonder. Research shows that a garden with a variety of habitats gives more opportunities for a range of wildlife. Structural diversity is an important reason why gardens shelter so many species.

Leave a pile of wood in a shady spot. A mix of big and smaller logs is best; any wood makes a home for mini-beasts, small mammals and amphibians. Are the lower ones rotting? Excellent - it'll attract fungi and wood-boring organisms. Leave a dead tree or a decaying tree stump to decompose for as long as you can, as it provides a precious habitat. If you think it looks ugly, train a creeper round it. Dead and decaying wood provides a home and food for many animals, fungi and insects and can help your garden to cope with some of the effects of climate change. Details

Buy or build your own nest box, but use one that's good for the species you are likely to get in your garden. Most have a hole at the front of varying size for the bird it aims to attract, and a waterproof lid. Place boxes in a sheltered place from wind, rain and direct sunlight - and somewhere safe from predators and disturbance. They will need to be at least 1.75m from the ground, to deter attack by cats. Nest boxes are vital to bird survival and are a simple way to make a big difference.

Encourage bats - make or buy a bat roost or box. Usually made from wood or a mixture of wood chips and concrete, these will encourage bats into areas where there are few natural roosting sites. They are like bird boxes, but with a lower vertical 'landing strip', and narrow entry slot. Be patient: it may be several years before you have resident bats. A garden that is good for insects is good for bats: the 17 species of British bat eat only insects such as midges, moths, mosquitoes and beetles.

Invest in an owl box and you may be rewarded by a visit from one of the most beautiful birds we have. Owls need our help, as they've suffered serious declines due to lack of food and nesting sites in the country. Owl boxes are larger than other nest boxes and designed to suit a particular owl species. Putting a nest box in your garden, (especially if there are a number of gardens close around you, making a large range) may attract tawny, little and barn owls.

Make a simple house from a box or crate that's sturdy enough to protect against foxes and badgers. Put two air vents in the side (15cm x 5cm) and an entrance (15cm x 15cm) at the base. Cover the top with a plastic bag and make a wigwam from twigs. Cover with dry grass and leaves. Place under shrubs or a hedge in autumn, with the entrance facing south, along with nesting material (paper, leaves, grass or straw). Hedgehogs are gardeners’ friends as their favourite food are slugs – helping gardeners to keep them under control.

You are lucky if have one around or in your garden, so look after it. Creating a new wall is a specialist task that may need planning permission. Keep the wall consistent with your soil type, use local stone that is sustainably sourced. Smearing yoghurt on bare stones will encourage lichens to grow and increase biodiversity. Dry stone wall cavities are great for small animals such as lizards and insects, and plants such as special ferns and mosses. Pointed walls offer less refuge so the odd crack or gap in the wall can be good.

Build a traditional rockery or a rustic pile of tumbled stones or bricks. A brick pile under an evergreen shrub makes good use of a dead space. In a traditional rockery, plant early bulbs such as crocuses and grape hyacinths - providing nectar to emerging insects. Rockeries are excellent over-wintering refuges for newts, frogs and toads. They support woodlice, millipedes, centipedes, spiders and beetles, which encourage other animals that feed on them. Rockeries are great habitats and add diversity to your garden- and they don’t require much looking after.

Make or leave gaps under fences and walls to allow wildlife to get in and out of your garden. Some mammals and amphibians can't get over or under a closed fence or wall. Allow 5cm for amphibians and mice and about 12cm for hedgehogs. Check that your neighbour is happy about this, and ask before you make holes in someone else's fence. Leaving gaps allows creatures to expand their feeding range across more than one garden, and gives them more space to survive.

Yes, you can help to build a nest by leaving out old hair or feathers for birds in spring; it's great nesting material. Buy materials for hanging on trees or tables or leave out your own. Brush your dog outside, as its fur makes great nest-lining material. If you have an area of damp mud, for instance a bog garden, you may attract house martins and swallows, from April to July, which collect mud for nests. In tidy suburbs, suitable nesting material may be rare, especially very fine soft feather down or hairs for lining the nest.

Buy or make a home for ladybirds and lacewings. Ladybirds hibernate in dead wood, so tie a bundle of hollow stems or canes with string and hang in a suitable place. The gentle lacewing often won't survive winter, so make them a chambered box for warmth from a plastic bottle. Cut off the bottom, pin a piece of corrugated cardboard inside, put the lid on and hang up. Providing shelter helps to push up numbers of these attractive and beneficial garden visitors, who are a natural pest control for aphids and greenfly. Details

Mason bee friendly! We need our bees, so why not make or buy them a home? Mason bees nest in hollow woody tubes. You can make your own from cut lengths of bamboo and other hollow-stemmed plants. Mason bees are good pollinators, and are becoming more important with the current decline of honey and bumblebees. Most of our food is pollinated by bees, so they are vital to our survival.

Being bird-friendly means you need to have a birdbath or a pond, plus five of the following wildlife wonders; trees; berry-bearing shrubs; mixed hedge; managed hedge; fedge; nestbox; owl box; nesting material; seed feeder; nut feeder; suet feeder, bird table; coconut; reduced chemical use and/or non-toxic slug control. You are making a real contribution to bird conservation by doing any of the above. Details

If you supply butterflies and moths with food, shelter and over-wintering sites you can earn this wildlife wonder. You need to have at least two of the following; flowering plants in spring summer or autumn; two native plants (for caterpillar food); a mixed species hedge or berry-bearing shrub; a wildflower meadow; climbing plants or a creeper-covered wall or fence; have you reduced your use of chemicals or become organic. Details

If you provide plants and nesting areas for our valuable friends, and you avoid insecticide sprays – you are being bee friendly. In the last 70 years, bees have become scarce - and two species extinct. We need our bees or we will lose valuable plants. Bees are vital to us and help to pollinate our food crops as well as native plants. You need to have at least two spring and two summer flowers and/or place a bee hotel and/or reduce chemical use in your garden to earn this wildlife wonder. Details

Being friendly to frogs is a complicated wildlife wonder as amphibians need water, land, safe cover and insects and other food to live and breed. First, you need a pond and two of the following: bog garden; rockery; access points; dead woodpile; compost heap; hedge and/or fedge. You must not use insecticides or slug pellets. These fascinating creatures are fun to watch - and help reduce the garden pests such as slugs. Gardens are vital habitats for the survival of British frogs. Details

Reptiles are cold-blooded and need to warm up to be active enough to feed, compost heaps are irresistible because they generate heat. To be reptile friendly you need at least two of these wildlife wonders; stone wall; access points; bog garden; rockery; dead wood pile; hedge and/or fedge; open compost heap. Plus you should have reduced your use of chemicals and/or be organic. These creatures play a key role in natural ecosystems. All species have declined in numbers because of lost or damaged habitats; your garden can be a reptile refuge.

Encourage mammals into your garden by providing suitable food and shelter. To be mammal friendly you need to have two of these; berry-bearing shrubs; a lawn; wildlife meadow; rockery; dead wood pile; open compost heap; mixed hedge and/or fedge. You also need to have access points; reduced chemical use and/or go organic and be careful about slug control. Mammals are often visitors to our gardens and are vital to our ecology. Give them food and shelter so they can survive.

With so many excellent peat-free substitutes, it should be easy to stop using it. Read labels, as some with 'green' and 'organic' still contain peat. Our peat bogs are vital. They are unique homes for plants, animals and migrating birds. They can teach us much about past climate and landscapes, and plants and animals that once lived there. Acting as 'carbon sinks', they hold more carbon than the world's forests, so combat global warming. Stop using peat and you are helping to combat climate change, protect wildlife habitats and give others a chance to learn from our past. Details

Or at least reduce them - it's easier than going organic, and it makes a big difference. Try to use natural controls. If blackfly go for your roses, wash them with water or soap; caterpillars are easy to pick off; and let ladybirds, amphibians and reptiles deal with your insects and slugs. Swap herbicides and chemical fertilisers for careful weeding, mulches, garden compost and manure. Reducing or cutting out chemicals will also you'll save money and reduce your carbon footprint as they are expensive to produce.

It can take time to become fully organic, so do it gradually until you are confident. There are too many clever techniques and tips to list here, so it's best to find good books, websites, or go on courses to learn the best tricks. Better still, talk to someone who already manages their gardens organically. Being fully organic means you are making sure that everything in your garden is safe for you, your family and our wildlife.

Avoid or control using of slug pellets, as these can kill other animals and birds and using less will reduce your carbon footprint. If you have a slug/snail problem use organic and animal/child safe products or nematode-based biocontrols for vegetables. Give organic slug repellents a go: spread bran, gravel, crushed eggshells, orange peel or metallic strips; plant garlic; half fill a plastic bottle with stale beer; or better still encourage song thrushes – they love eating slugs and snails. Slugs and snails are also part of the British environment and food for other animals such as hedgehogs.

Sphagnum moss is not sustainable and is often harvested from the wild. It should not be used for hanging baskets, containers or storing bulbs. Instead use a coarse non-peat compost, coir (coconut fibre), paper products and in planting, and help water retention by mixing in water-retaining granules. There are plenty of alternatives available.

Check the origin of any wood you buy for the garden, including charcoal, fencing and furniture. Make sure you buy products (including paper) with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label, as they are from well-managed forests. Recycled plastic lumber is an alternative that's great for building structures and garden tables. Avoid chemical wood treatments, which can make sheds, fences, etc dangerous to over-wintering or basking insects. Gardening in a sustainable way helps to protect wildlife and the environment.

Use locally sourced sustainable charcoal on the barbeque. It is estimated that each year the UK consumes around 40,000 tonnes of charcoal on its barbeques. Around 90 per cent of this comes from tropical countries; nobody knows exactly how production is being managed or what damage it may cause. Buying locally or through accredited schemes means it's more sustainable, and also revenue for woodland conservation.

If you've no space for a compost heap or frame, use a plastic bin instead. It's easy to do and homemade compost is a top-soil improver and mulch. Use all green garden waste and vegetable peelings, but not diseased plant material (in case spores survive and infect plants). When you spread the compost, there will be a feast of worms, woodlice and mini-beasts for birds and mammals. Keeping compost out of landfill reduces climate-changing methane production, and provides food for a variety of wildlife. Details

Putting waste into a frame or heap in an out-of the way place is an excellent way to compost and allows more wildlife to enjoy it. Many gardeners make compost frames out of old pallets, forming open boxes to keep the material together. Ideally you have three, one you are filling, one quietly composting down, and one with mature compost to use in the garden. Be careful when emptying, as there may be small mammals, slow worms or amphibians in it. It's great for food and shelter, and is especially popular with slow-worms and insects too.

Cheap and easy to install, these are a great way to collect water for the garden. Connect to gutter down-pipes. Buy a butt with a cover to keep out breeding mosquitoes and with a drain tap at the bottom. If you have space, link two butts together with adapter kits, or drain any excess water with a pipe to fill up your pond. This is a brilliant way of saving an increasingly scarce resource and can also help your garden cope with some of the effects of climate change.

Lawns are thirsty, so why not swap the lawn or parts of it for drought-resistant Mediterranean plants. Water plants and veg at the base, so it gets directly to the roots. Use a watering can. Precious water can be directed only where needed by creating a moat around your plant. Try recycling shower and bath water on the garden to save this important resource and use water sparingly.

Wait until early spring before cutting back your shrubs, trees and climbing plants. Leave dead flower heads and stems over winter and cuttings beneath shrubs and trees. Don't move fallen trees, unless they died through disease - in which case clear up and burn them, as you don't want disease to spread. Seed heads are vital food for birds and animals in winter, plant stems and foliage offers shelter for hibernating insects, and dead wood is home to many rare insects and fungi.

Don’t be too tidy - especially between November and May. Piles of leaves and twiggy debris under a hedge or in a quiet corner are special shelters for frogs, mice and hedgehogs. Seed heads are beautiful in their own right and provide important food resources and shelter. ‘Untidy spots’ can be the best wildlife cover in the garden; who cares what the neighbours think?

If you grow your own vegetables, spare some for wildlife. Allow some of the crop to go to seed; it's great food for birds, often late in the season. Vegetables are greedy, so improve soil with homemade compost, and mulch to retain water. Avoid chemical sprays and artificial fertiliser. Leave a few weeds too - you could be pulling up dinner for some insects and animals. Growing veg is great fun, educational and kids just love it – make sure that you leave some for nature too.

Make space for at least one small fruit tree or shrub. We love fruit and so do lots of other creatures. You can buy dwarf varieties if you’ve not much - apples, pears, plum and cherries are great. Raspberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants look good in tubs on a patio. Traditional fruit trees provide homes, shelter, shade and nesting space, along with nectar from flowers, and their fruit is a vital source of autumn food too. Don’t forget to leave a few fruits for wildlife too. Growing your own fruit is fun, rewarding and cuts down on the ‘food miles’ and packaging needed to feed the family.

Aim to spend more time enjoying your garden. Take a walk there in the rain and bend down and smell the flowers. Lie on your lawn and experience your garden from another view point. Or spread your wings and visit other peoples’ – you’ve got lots of Big Wildlife Garden friends or the National Gardens Scheme have hundreds raising money for charity too www.ngs.org.uk. Don’t forget to tell everyone you meet about the Big Wildlife Garden, we can all do something for wildlife. Short of inspiration? – why not try some of our special activities and go wild?

Volunteer to do something in your local area to help conserve the natural environment and wildlife. Spend some time being sociable, as well as getting fit - and do some good for your community. If you don't have a garden or allotment, you can still help wildlife by volunteering, www.direct.gov.uk/muckin4life. Volunteering helps everyone, and it's a great way to learn more and meet like-minded people. Don't forget to get them to join our Big Wildlife Garden.

Make a pledge to get out into your garden or local green space for a few hours each week. Being active outdoors improves your health and helps you feel more energetic and less stressed. Every minute you spend in the garden is good for you - both mentally and physically. Go on a health walk or find an event to join. Find out what’s going on in your area www.breathingplaces.org

Join a local gardening club in your area and get talking about wildlife gardening. This is the place where you'll usually find a few characters that are full of useful advice on gardening - and often the local area. Look up allotment societies www.nsalg.org.uk which sometimes have shops selling seed and equipment cheaply, and national societies, which are a good source of magazines and information about gardens to visit. Get out and meet more gardeners - and don't forget to get them to join our Big Wildlife Garden.

Why not turn your grey space green? Hard surfaces, such as paved front gardens and driveways, can be bad for wildlife but with a bit of greenery they can be great wildlife corridors. Keep as much vegetation as you can and plant edges with hedging, climbers and shrubs. Instead of hard covering the whole area, just lay strips or use gravel and scatter with herbs or alpines. Hard surfaces contribute to localised flooding, as water can't soak into the ground. They lead to loss of wildlife habitat, and pollutants (brake dust, petrol, oil) can enter water systems.

With effort and imagination a roof can become a green oasis. It's a great extra wildlife habitat for new buildings, especially in built-up areas. Living roofs mimic dry, heathland habitat. It's not easy to fit to an existing house, because of structural issues, so get professional advice. You might also want to think of putting one on your shed or garage. This extra wildlife habitat helps the environment and can help tackle the effects of climate change. For instance, it cools rooms in hot weather and retains water which then evaporates, reducing the likelihood of local floods. Details

Get others involved in your garden. Invite them to help with the work or simply to enjoy the space. If you’ve a school garden, find ways to get children from every year group to help, visit and enjoy the area. Ask parents, teachers and school helpers to give support. This could be anything from providing seeds to plant, giving advice or even getting their wellies on and working with the children. If you’re an Eco-School, getting others in school involved and spreading the message is very important. Try and find some exciting ways to attract people to your garden.

Or at least try to use them less often. Using power tools and lawnmowers less often will help to reduce your carbon footprint and every little helps when it comes to tackling climate change. Do you really need to mow your lawn as often as you do? Cutting your grass even half as often will help to reduce the amount of carbon that you produce as a gardener and help to attract wildlife to your garden. For instance, a longer lawn will retain water better and let clover flower, which supplies vital nectar to bumblebees.