Wild Makeover Blog

Love your leaves. Keep them in the garden to enhance the soil quality and benefit wildlife. Sweep them off paths and lawns onto flowerbeds, where they will shelter overwintering insects and amphibians or hibernating hedgehogs, and sustain worms in the soil below. Or collect damp leaves into perforated bin bags to make leafmould to feed your plants next year.

Celebrate Harvest Time by avoiding chemicals in the garden to protect your health and create a healthy ecosystem. Use simple alternatives to pesticides, weed killers and plastics, such as companion planting, hand weeding and gardening products made from natural materials. Ask your council to go chemical-free to save money and local wildlife.

Embrace the Back to School season by learning more about wildlife. For Science, use the iNaturalist app or ID sheets to spot species in your garden. For Languages, master Birdsong. Hone your Design Technology skills with the Pollinator Pathmaker garden-planning tool. Learn about the bigger picture of rewilding on a free course - and apply your knowledge to your own space using our activity videos.