Have you ever considered setting up your own wildlife sanctuary? If you are lucky enough to have a garden, balcony or backyard attached to your home you'd be surprised just what a difference your flora can make to your local fauna.

There are plenty of good reasons to support the wildlife in your community. In the past year awareness of the plight of Britain’s rapidly declining bee population has spread from beekeepers to scientists and Government officials to become an issue on the lips of gardeners nation-wide. It is estimated that honeybee pollination of UK crops is worth £138.8 million each year. Yet worryingly, one in three honey bee colonies in the UK were lost last winter alone as a result of the mysterious colony collapse disorder, a phenomenon that has been linked to the loss of wild habitat also affecting our butterflies and migrant songbird populations. Fortunately, the decline of some of our country's most vibrant garden visitors is something that the green-fingered among us can all help tackle. Whether you've got acres of land, a patio or just a free window-sill, follow our tips to creating your own wildlife haven. (Think of it as home insurance for the smaller creatures in your neighbourhood!)

Plant nectar- and pollen-rich plants that will keep bees well-fed all year round.
Herbs - Bees love herbs such as lavender, rosemary, mint and sage, which will also make your garden smell beautiful and won't go amiss in the kitchen.
Shrubs - Common shrubs like privet, cotoneaster, buddleia and blueberry bushes will have bees flocking from miles around.
Perennials - Plants that make for the picture-perfect English garden also make for a bee paradise. Plant English Ivy, foxgloves, hollyhocks and roses.
Fruit and veg - Let bees feast off your own harvest by growing peppers, pumpkins, strawberries and raspberries in your garden. Crab-apple trees are also great for bees.
Nesting - Bees will build nests under wood and stone so leave dead wood, stems and leaf litter in a pile at a corner of your garden.

Butterflies and moths visit gardens to drink nectar from flowers so make food available to them all year round, especially in the early spring when they come out of hibernation and late summer/early autumn as they're stocking up for the big sleep. Caterpillars also need a good food supply to help them grow into beautiful butterflies.
Plants for butterflies - Plant bluebells, clovers, daisies, forget-me-nots, pansies and primroses to bloom in the spring and buddleias, ivies, and herbs such as lavender, marjoram, mint and thyme for late summer snacks.
Plants for caterpillars - Caterpillars love common spreading plants such as stinging nettles, holly and ivy. Limit the spread of stinging nettles by growing in a large container sunk into the ground and let ivy grow up the side of your house.
Go wild - Not fussy creatures, butterflies and caterpillars love wild and common plants, such as dandelion, daisies and common grasses, so why not let nature work its magic by letting an area of your garden go wild.

If you want to wake to the sound of songbirds in the morning, plant berries and seed-headed grass. Also, put out feeders of seeds, grains and fat, nesting boxes in which families can grow and bird baths for the feathered ones to wash in and drink from. However, don't take steps to attract songbirds if you have a cat - you may end up providing food for kitty rather than the birds.

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