Native plants are a strong choice for plantings in gardens because they are already adapted to the local conditions, meaning that they require little human input into their care, and are a host for local fauna to feed on and take shelter in. They are the foundation of the food web that the wildlife in the area rely on, and provide a unique sense of place that ties gardens together to their greater ecosystems and environment.

Permaculture is a holistic land management and design approach that attempts to mimic patterns found in surrounding natural ecosystems, improving the land’s resiliency and biodiversity. In practice, this ethical framework can be achieved through combining landscape design with thoughtful land use, such as crop rotation, rainwater harvesting, and renewable energy use. It often extends into a philosophy that prescribes a way of living, emphasising the importance of community.

Creating wildlife-friendly spaces is a huge benefit to both individual gardens, and surrounding ecosystems. Through creating habitats and food resources, biodiversity is increased, which hosts a plethora of benefits. Pollinators ensure bountiful harvests and blooming landscapes, natural predators such as birds act as a natural pest control, eliminating the need for chemicals, and worms and decomposers work tirelessly to enrich the soil that nourishes the plants.