Peter Dowdall: Design your garden so it looks good and supports wildlife

Natural balance ensures a healthy diversity of species (both plant and animal) in your garden 

A healthy diversity of species (both plant and animal) in your garden prevents the unnatural build-up of any one species. File pictures

Creating a beautiful garden doesn't have to be time-consuming and labour-intensive. It's important to design a garden that not only adds aesthetic appeal to your surroundings but also attracts and supports wildlife. By understanding the natural balance that exists in your garden, you can achieve both of these goals.

What the term, natural balance means in essence is that by ensuring a healthy diversity of species (both plant and animal) in your garden, you will prevent the unnatural build-up of any one species.