Five ways to make your garden wildlife friendly
07 December 2025Creating a wildlife-friendly garden doesn’t have to be complicated, it can be a simple and rewarding way to bring nature closer to home and give your local wildlife a bit of TLC.
And with just a few thoughtful changes, you can turn your outdoor space into a safe haven for all manner of wildlife like birds, insects, hedgehogs and more.
Whether you have a large garden or a compact corner, these ideas are easy to put into place, and you could even transform your garden into a DIY wildlife retreat in just one weekend.
Set up a Slow Worm sunbed
You might not know this, but Onduline sheets can be used for more than just roofing. For example, they make for a perfect Slow Worm sunbed!
Slow Worms love warm, sheltered spots where they can safely bask and relax - especially during cooler months. A simple way to support them is by creating a dedicated sun bed in a quiet corner.
Thanks to the corrugations and bitumen coating, Onduline sheets are an ideal choice. The raised profile creates space for reptiles to slip underneath, while the bitumen warms up to provide a cosy environment even in colder weather.
Reptile sunbeds don’t need to be large - roughly 1m x 1m is perfect - and our ONDULINE CLASSIC sheets can easily be cut to size with a fine-tooth handsaw. Made from approximately 50% recycles materials, Onduline sheets are free from asbestos and hazardous chemicals so they’re completely safe for any reptilian friends to hide underneath.
Once cut to size, simply place your sheet on a patch of grass or soil. Over time slow worms and other insects will gather beneath to relax underneath your DIY sunbed.
Create hedgehog highways
Hedgehogs can travel over a mile each night, but fenced gardens can make life difficult for them. By adding a hedgehog highway, you can open up your outdoor space and help them roam safely in search of food and nesting spots - and cutting a small 13cm x 13cm hole at the base of your fence is all it takes.
Of course, if you’re hoping to make a hedgehog highway in fencing that connects to your neighbours then you should always ask permission first.
Build a bug hotel
Insects play a vital role in your garden’s ecosystem, from pollinating plants to providing food for birds - so a bug hotel is a great way to offer shelter while adding some extra character to your outdoor space.
You can build a bug hotel with just 3 – 4 old wooden pallets, bricks, logs with holes drilled in, bamboo, pinecones, twigs and even cardboard.
Use the bricks for the corners before you begin layering your wooden pallets as these will provide a strong and sturdy base for your hotel. Remember it’s best to build your structure on even ground for the best results.
Once your brick corners are in place, layer your wooden pallets on top of each other to create your bug hotel structure. Then add your different materials in the gaps between the pallets to create your hotel, leaving a range of gap sizes for different critters.
From there, you can add a simple roof using a cut to size sheet of Onduline EASYLINE roofing to keep any hotel guests safe and dry.
Cut your sheet with a fine-tooth handsaw and screw it into the wooden pallet with Onduline universal screws.
Plant a pollinator patch
Even a small area dedicated to pollinator-friendly plants can have a big impact on your garden’s biodiversity. Bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects rely on nectar-rich flowers for food, and creating a colourful patch gives them a reliable source throughout the year.
Choose a mix of native flowers that bloom at different times such as lavender, foxgloves, verbena, and wild marigolds to keep your garden buzzing. And if space is limited, a few well-planted pots or a window box can work just as well.
Add a wildlife water station
A clean, reliable water source is one of the most valuable additions you can include in your garden. Birds, insects, hedgehogs, and even slow worms all rely on accessible water for drinking and bathing.
A shallow dish, small pond, or simple bowl placed at ground level can make a real difference. To make your water station as wildlife friendly as possible, add a few stones or pebbles to one side, giving insects like bees and butterflies a safe landing spot. A small piece of driftwood or a branch placed across the edge can also act as a handy ramp for hedgehogs and frogs.
Remember to refresh the water regularly to keep it safe and inviting for all your garden visitors.
By implementing one or more of these nature friendly changes into your garden you can make a real difference to wildlife around you!
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ONDULINE roofing sheets and accessories are available to purchase from a range of stockists, including Wickes and B&Q. You can check out our full list of online stockists here.