For garden biodiversity, the sustainable hotel SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA provides food and shelter for insects and small animals. © SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA

Measures for the protection of species in the garden

A beautiful garden creates an attractive environment and supports biodiversity. The hotel SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA in the spa town of Bad Herrenalb in the Black Forest not only maintains a “snack garden” with berries and herbs for its guests, but also wants to promote garden biodiversity. In the 100 quare meters garden a bee colony lives as “long-term guests,” lizards can check into the rock pile, and the hedgehog nest is fully booked every winter.

You can easily implement these measures in your own garden.

8 DIY ways to increase garden biodiversity

1. Plant flowers with blossoms
2. Install shallow water troughs for insects
3. Provide sand baths for birds
4. Provide nesting aids for wild bees (insect hotels)
5. Nesting aids for earwigs
6. Stone piles as “lizard hotels”
7. Bird house with bird bath
8. Hedgehog house

Build your own hedgehog house

Every fall, hedgehogs go in search of a place to hibernate. If you would like to have a prickly lodger, you can prepare a hedgehog house for him. This is best placed in a quiet and sheltered corner of the garden (e.g. under a hedge). Fill it with straw and leaves.

The hedgehog expert from the Nature Conservation Union Germany  (NABU) also gives advice: Better than attracting hedgehogs with food or fencing them in – plant a flowerbed! This attracts insects, the hedgehog’s natural food – and the circle is complete 🙂 .