Wildlife Gardening

I was about to go out and check on the frogspawn in our wildlife pond this morning and I suddenly had the urge to look up why gardening is supposed to be so good for your well-being, especially wildlife gardening. Turns out it's all about slowing down and noticing things and it's got a name, 'soft fascination'.

That makes total sense to me. If I see a bee buzzing around a flower, or a butterfly flutters past, I don't think, 'quick, I must follow that to see where it's going', I just stand and watch it doing it's thing and let it buzz or flutter off into the distance to go about it's day in peace. But it always leaves me feeling very calm and relaxed, and pleased that my garden is being used by these insects.

And I've always found putting down a dish of fresh water for wildlife then seeing the birds bathing in it, or if you're lucky enough to get hedgehogs in your garden at night and see it on a wildlife camera having a good drink, that's a real feel-good moment. It is definitely one of the best things you can do for your garden wildlife, creating a few spots in the garden which constantly have water available for them. Once the wildlife finds it, they'll return, and you'll get to enjoy being softly fascinated watching them, too.

In case you were wondering, the frogspawn was looking great, some full stops, some commas, nearly ready to hatch :)