Have you ever dreamed of a garden that is brimming with life? One that is full of beautiful blooms, welcoming to you and nature? If you have then you are already thinking about rewilding.
Rewilding is about creating space for nature to thrive. It doesn’t matter if you have 20 acres or a few pots on a balcony – it is scalable. Everyone can do something to give nature a helping hand.
This July, we’ll be exploring this in more detail – from practical tips, plant guides and habitat. As with all things, we have start at the beginning.
What Is Rewilding?
Rewilding doesn’t mean leaving your garden to turn into a scruffy, unkempt mess. It is the practice of restoring natural processes and encouraging wildlife to thrive. In large-scale projects, it’s as much about returning wildlife to the landscape as it is about restoring habitat. In gardens, it is about creating spaces and eco-systems that allow nature to return and work with the gardener.
This could be allowing your lawn to grow a little longer and cutting it less often. You may wish to consider adding native trees and wildflowers. Garden creatures are often your friends and with habitat comes benefits – you supply the home and food source and they take care of the pests. It is also about avoiding chemical use and allowing nettles, daisies and dandelions to stay put.
The idea is to work with nature, not against it. You need to learn to let things go a little – be a little bit freer. It takes courage to break away from the traditional striped lawn and lavish koi pond.
Wilding vs. Rewilding
You might hear both terms, but here’s the difference.
Rewilding usually refers to larger scale projects where large landmasses and habitats are restored, often with minimal human interaction. Think peatbogs, the return of beavers, the re-wiggling of rivers.
Wilding is the term generally considered acceptable for gardens, although the term is not as popular. Small scale projects could be a domestic garden, patio or balcony – even windowsills. The goal is the same: more biodiversity, less control and a garden that feels alive.
Why Rewild?
There are over 23 million gardens in the UK. That’s a lot of potential for rewilding. In the past three decades, we’ve seen huge declines in birds, insects and native wildlife – all due to habitat loss, chemicals and paving over green spaces.
Even if just 10% of those gardens were rewilded, the impact would be enormous.
Rewilding your garden helps restore pollinator populations, improve soil health, reduce chemical use and reconnect us to the rhythms of nature. It can be as beautiful as any formal garden – just a little looser, a little wilder and far more alive.
And the best part? Watching your space come alive, knowing it’s your hands – and your patience – that made it happen.
In the Meantime…
Try skipping a lawn mow. Leave that patch of nettles. Watch what grows when you do less, not more.
And get ready for a full month of tips, inspiration and nature-first gardening ideas – all coming this July from The Natural Gardener.
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