Herb garden illustration

Grow wildlife-friendly herbs

Planting herbs will attract important pollinators into your garden, which will, in turn, attract birds and small mammals looking for a meal.

No matter how big the space you have, you can please both people and wildlife with a majestic herb garden. Planting a herb garden will not only allow you easy access to seasoning for your food, but will also attract pollinators like bees and butterflies into your garden. Herb gardens can be planted in raised beds, borders, containers or windowboxes – any space will do!

Please people and wildlife with a herb garden!

If you use planters and group them together, you will also provide shelter for wildlife between them and increase your watering efficiency. You can use troughs, hanging baskets or terracotta pots for your wildlife-friendly plants.

Top ten wildlife-friendly herbs:

  • Rosemary - Rosmarinus officinalis
  • Caraway - Carum carvi
  • Hyssop - Hyssopus officinalis
  • English lavender - Lavandula angustifolia
  • Common sage - Salvia officinalis
  • Wild thyme - Thymus polytrichus
  • FennelFoeniculum vulgare 
  • Chives - Allium schoenoprasum
  • Common mint - Mentha spicata
  • Wild marjoramOriganum vulgare

As a charity we rely on you

We look after over 90 nature reserves across the county.

More ways you can help bees

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How to help wildlife at school

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Whether feeding the birds, or sowing a wildflower patch, setting up wildlife areas in your school makes for happier, healthier and more creative children.

container garden illustration

How to create a container garden for wildlife

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Pots and containers are a great way of introducing wildlife features onto patios, or outside the front door. They are also perfect for small gardens or spaces like window ledges or roofs. Herbs, in particular, make good container plants and attract lots…

send a letter to the editor

Send a 'letter to the Editor'

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Sending letters 'to the Editor' of local newspapers is another great way to speak up for wildife.

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How to attract butterflies to your garden

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Provide food for caterpillars and choose nectar-rich plants for butterflies and you’ll have a colourful, fluttering display in your garden for many months.