The RSPB is calling for everyone to join the wildlife-planting revolution as a new YouGov survey shows that three quarters of people are already trying to encourage wildlife to their garden.

The survey, commissioned by the RSPB as part of their Nature on Your Doorstep campaign, also revealed that over two in five now consider pollinators when choosing what plants to grow in their garden, a quarter (24%) leave areas of grass to grow long for nature, and that nearly half of people feed birds (49%).

Planting for wildlife in gardens and outdoor spaces presents a fantastic opportunity to help struggling wildlife and is also a hugely popular activity. When asked in the survey to choose what one thing they would most like to do in a new empty outdoor space, half of people (50%) chose having more plants (either having a wildflower meadow (most popular at 16%), or planting fruit trees (11%), other kinds of trees (6%), shrubs (7%), or space for more flowers (10%)).

Here are five wildlife-friendly, easy-growing plants to get anybody started:

• Sunflowers – beautiful and easy to grow from seed, these classic flowers are great for pollinators and are a great food source for birds when they set seed.
• Cornfield annuals – for just a couple of pounds you can have the glow of red poppies and blue cornflowers within weeks.
• Mini-meadow – just let parts of your lawn grow for a few months, or even better until late summer, and be rewarded with drifts of clovers and other meadow flowers.
• Lavender, the familiar lovely-smelling herb that’s brilliant for bees and butterflies.
• Foxgloves, tall purple, pink and white flowers that are bee magnets.

For more suggestions, tips, and inspiration on how to give planting a go and join the wildlife-planting revolution visit Nature on Your Doorstep.

(Photo RSPB)