Whether you’ve just moved into your new-build home or are finally getting around to planning your outdoor space, there are so many wonderful reasons to design a biodiverse garden and enjoy a beautiful and eco-friendly retreat on your brand-new doorstep.

In partnership with Plantlife, the global voice for plants and fungi, we explain why biodiversity is so important and how you can get started with creating a biodiverse garden that you will be proud of, year after year. The bees, butterflies and other plant-dwelling species will thank you!

Designing a biodiverse garden

What is biodiversity and why is it important in a garden?

Biodiversity is the variety of all living things and how they fit together. It means having as wide a range of different species in an ecosystem as it can support, bringing oxygen, water, food and many other benefits.

If you take a closer look at a garden, it’s an ecosystem in itself; above the ground are flowers and grasses that form mini jungles, providing food and shelter for all kinds of wildlife from insects to birds and mammals, while below the surface there’s a complex world of fungi and microbes living among the roots.

Grasslands are a great example of a biodiverse habitat, containing an abundance of wildflowers and the species that are supported by them. Sadly though, approximately 97% of the UK’s flower-filled meadows (species-rich grassland) have been lost since the 1930s, making them one of the most threatened habitats in Britain. However, there are more than 23 million gardens in the UK, and even the smallest grassy patches have the potential to become biodiverse gardens and help to deliver enormous benefits for people and the environment.

What are the benefits of wildflowers to a biodiverse garden?

Wildflowers are amazing plant species that have adapted for thousands of years to survive and bloom in the British climate, alongside other wildlife such as insects, birds and mammals. From their colours and sizes to their petal and leaf shapes, wildflowers that are native to the UK have evolved to thrive in nature and by creating a biodiverse garden at your new-build home, you’re helping to continue this journey.

Pollinators rely on wildflowers as a vital food source, and in turn a significant proportion of flowering plants rely on animals to pollinate them. Insects that feed on wildflowers also provide a food source to other animals like birds and small mammals; the flowers also produce seeds which birds can feed on during the winter.

Threats to biodiversity have adverse effects on the ecosystem and society itself. By taking the simple act of allowing British native wildflowers to grow in your biodiverse new-build home garden, you’re helping the bees and butterflies, providing habitats for insects and supporting birds and small mammals to thrive.

To recap, here are the five top reasons to grow native British wildflowers in your new home garden:

• They’re easy to grow because they’ve adapted over thousands of years to thrive in the British climate

• They provide habitats for insects and other local wildlife

• Pollinators like butterflies and bees rely on wildflowers as a food source

• Spending time in nature, including being surrounded by wildflowers, is great for our wellbeing

• They are fantastic for increasing biodiversity in your garden

How can I create a biodiverse garden at my new-build home?

Our tips on creating a biodiverse garden will help you to plan your wildlife-friendly outdoor space from its very beginning and understand the best way to care for it and protect the wildlife that it attracts.

• Choose a real grass lawn over artificial turf – While artificial turf is an easy solution to a neat and low-maintenance garden, it’s bad news for nature; not only are greenhouse gas emissions produced in the plastic turf manufacturing process but it’s also a missed opportunity to create an environment in which wildlife can thrive. Choosing real grass over artificial turf or large areas of paving for your new-build home garden is a crucial first step in creating a biodiverse garden.

• Let nature do the hard work – Biodiverse garden design can take less effort than you might think, as there are many types of wildflowers that are likely to naturally appear in your garden over time, such as dandelions, oxeye daisies, buttercups and various types of clover. Leaving an area of your garden to ‘go wild’ allows nature to take over and wildlife to move in to use it for food and shelter.

• Think small for big impact – Even small gardens, patios and apartment balconies have the potential to be biodiverse spaces as you can plant wildflowers in borders, planters, window boxes and pots. It all adds up when we do what we can to help wildlife.

• Plant wildflower seeds – Choose your favourite wildflowers or scatter a mixture of native British wildflower seeds to create a mini meadow in your new garden. In our next section we share some of the best UK wildflowers for you to consider.

• Join in ‘No Mow May’ – Plantlife’s ‘No Mow May’ movement urges everyone to mow their lawns less from May (and beyond) and to leave grass of different lengths in their gardens to allow a variety of wildflowers to grow freely, and support nature. Before May, use a higher blade setting on your lawnmower to avoid cutting the emerging leaves of your spring wildflowers.

• Mow your lawn when the ground is dry – When cutting your lawn in the spring, wait until the ground is reasonably dry, and always collect your cuttings if you’re removing more than a centimetre of growth to avoid smothering emerging wildflower seedlings.

• Always mow from the centre – When you do mow your garden, always mow from the centre towards the edges so that any wildlife living in your lawn can escape.

The best UK native wildflowers to plant in your new-build home garden

With hundreds of different types of native wildflowers in the UK to choose from, you can find species that will thrive in your new-build home garden, no matter what kind of soil you have and how shady it is. Below are 12 of our favourite British native wildflowers to get you started with planning your biodiverse garden.

1. Oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) – Blooming around the summer solstice, the oxeye daisy’s nectar is an important food source for insects. This common wildflower grows best with plenty of sunshine in well-drained soil.
2. Creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens) – This familiar and cheerful garden flower is well-loved by pollinators and tends to naturally appear on sunny or shady grass lawns where the soil is damp. However, as its name suggests, creeping buttercup can spread quickly; aerating your lawn to improve its air circulation and drainage will help to keep creeping buttercup under control and prevent it from smothering other plants.
3. White clover (Trifolium repens) – The most common type of clover, you’ll see white clover popping up between June and September on grassy areas throughout the UK. Sow white clover seeds in sunny areas of your garden from late April to invite bees and butterflies to visit over the summer.
4. Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) – If you’re planning to grow a varied wildflower meadow in your new-build home garden, yellow rattle will be an important team player as it suppresses the growth of dominant grasses and gives other species of wildflowers the chance to thrive. Sow fresh yellow rattle seeds in August and September so that they can germinate in the following spring.
5. Cowslip (Primula veris) – One of the best-known spring blossoms, cowslip is identifiable by its cup-shaped yellow flowers and grows easily in sunny, well-drained soil. Cowslips are most easily added to your garden in the form of plug plants, or if you’re using a native wildflower seed mix, cowslip seeds are likely to be included.
6. Knapweed (Centaurea nigra) – Pollinators love knapweed as it is a good source of nectar, and it also provides food for many birds. Its seeds can grow in dry, alkaline soils and once the plants are established, will tolerate neglect so knapweed is ideal if you’re looking to grow a low-maintenance wildlife-friendly garden!
7. Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) – Let dandelions grow on your lawn and the bees and butterflies will thank you – as will your guinea pigs or rabbits, if you have them. Dandelion spores are carried on the wind so you should see them naturally popping up as your grass grows.
8. Red campion (Silene dioica) – Add a splash of pretty pink colour to your wildflower garden with red campion, a hardy perennial that prefers partial shade and will self-seed once established, so you should see it for years to come. Bumblebees in particular love red campion flowers, which open up during daylight hours to attract them.
9. Lady’s bedstraw (Galium verum) – The distinctive yellow clusters of flowers that smell of hay, give lady’s bedstraw its intriguing name. You can sow lady’s bedstraw seeds directly into well-drained soil at any time of year for it to bloom in summer and provide food for pollinators and shelter for small insects.
10. Birds-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) – The birds-foot trefoil is sometimes referred to as ‘eggs and bacon’ because of its yellow and orange flowers, and this British native wildflower also happens to be a vital food source for several species of caterpillar. Birds-foot trefoil will grow even in poor soils and can be sown directly into the ground.
11. Bugle (Ajuga reptans) – The deep blue-hued bugle is popular with bumblebees and is often spotted in wildflower meadows. It prefers to grow in shady, damp soil so is ideal for garden corners or borders, and the plants spread well so are useful for covering large areas.
12. Hazel (Corylus avellana) – The hazel tree provides an important source of nutrients for a wide range of wildlife throughout the year, from insects to birds and squirrels. It’s a small shrub that would work well in your garden border, broadening its biodiversity while adding pleasant greenery and height.

Of course, another great tactic for creating a biodiverse garden is to sow mixed native wildflower seeds in areas of soil that you’d like to cover and create a ‘mini meadow’; you’ll be surprised and delighted by the variety of flowers that pop up, and so will the wildlife that they attract.

Your soil will still need a little preparation before sowing mixed wildflower seeds, so take time to ensure that the surface is free from weeds, large stones and debris and rake the soil to break up any chunks of dirt. It can help to mix your seeds with a handful of sand so that you can see where you’ve scattered them and ensure that you cover the area evenly. Gently press the surface to ensure the seeds have contact with the soil, then water gently and wait for your biodiverse garden to start coming into bloom in as little as a few weeks.

Buying a new-build home means that you’ll have a perfect blank canvas onto which you can express your individual personality, and that includes creating your dream biodiverse garden too. To start your journey, explore your nearest developments of energy-efficient new-build Bellway homes with gardens, and learn about the many more great reasons to buy new.

Whether you’re a first-time buyer or moving to the next rung of the property ladder, we also have useful articles with tips to help you on your new home journey, from a guide to the stages of building a new-build home, to a breakdown of the truths and myths about decorating a new home, and how a brand-new home could even be beneficial to your wellbeing.