Wildlife Gardening

This is a 5-module course for the keen wildlife gardener who would like to learn how to plan and maintain a wildlife garden, attracting the optimal number of wild visitors. Includes best-selling course book - How to Make a Wildlife Garden by Chris Baines, as well as all required study material and full tutorial support.

The course is packed with practical tips and ideas. It includes advice from wildlife experts and botanists as well as successful wildlife gardeners. In addition the course explores the latest research in this field.

Students have up to three years to complete this course, allowing them to work through the modules at their own pace. On average, however, it takes students around 8 - 10 months to complete the course, based on 2 - 3 hours study time per week.

Module 1: Why a Wildlife Garden? Explore the importance of wildlife gardening. Learn about wildlife garden design and layout. Understand the importance of an organic approach to wildlife gardening. Location. The needs of human inhabitants.

Module 2: Ecology in the Wildlife Garden. Creating a balanced ecosystem. Garden ecology. Understanding wild populations. Global footprint. Succession.

Module 3: More on Wildlife Garden Design. A full plan of your wildlife garden. Effective assessment of a site. Wildlife potential. The role of hard landscaping. Key design elements. Selecting the right plants. The Wildlife pond. Design and maintenance. Creating a wetland area. Populating your pond.

Module 4: The Woodland-Edge Habitat. Planting plan; selecting the right species; exploring natural woodlands. Shrub border. Hedgerows. Understanding the hedgerow habitat. Managing a hedgerow. Selecting the right species. Hedgerows as wildlife highways. Study wildlife.

Module 5: Grassland and Biodiversity. Natural lawns and wildflower meadows. Developing the right soil. Assessing your lawn/meadow needs. Reliable sources for seed. Preparation and planting. Biodiversity. Seedbanks. Studying wildlife. Common wild visitors and some rarer species. Identifying wildlife - tracks, droppings and other signs. National studies.