Create a native garden for wildlife: Steps to bring nature back
In the film Wilding, based on Isabella Tree's book of the same name, a farm in England is given back to nature. The transformation happens in even the smallest of details: a divot left by a cow's hoof becomes a tiny wetland, insects breed and then feed the birds. Everything is interlinked and the film shows compellingly that life can return when we step aside.
The same principle applies on a much smaller scale in Australian suburban gardens. A space that was once nothing but lawn can, over time, be transformed with native plants, trees, water features and pockets of wilder planting with remarkable results for local wildlife.
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Why your wildlife garden matters
Across Australia, more than 50 percent of native vegetation has been lost since European settlement.¹ Many birds, insects and mammals now depend on urban gardens as stepping stones between the wild spaces that remain. Residential homes account for around 70 percent of urban land in Australian cities and a significant share of that is outdoor space.² That is a lot of potential habitat hiding in plain sight. Each backyard, courtyard and balcony is a small piece of a much larger puzzle and when planted thoughtfully, these pieces can reconnect fragmented green spaces across entire suburbs.
A verge garden (check with your local council first) planted with natives, a mixed hedge instead of a fence, or a grouping of flowering shrubs can provide vital shelter and food for pollinators and birds. When a garden is understood as a piece of the larger landscape, it changes how planting decisions are made and how the garden is cared for over time.
Wildlife corridors
Wildlife corridors are connected strips of habitat that allow animals to move safely between larger natural areas and are critical to the long-term survival of many Australian species. As bushland has been cleared and fragmented, suburban gardens have become an unplanned but increasingly important part of this network.
What can you do to support local wildlife in your garden?
1. Choose native plants that feed and shelter
Native plants are the backbone of every wildlife garden. Adapted to local conditions, they offer food, pollen and shelter that introduced species cannot match. Grevilleas, callistemons and banksias feed honeyeaters and native bees. Lomandra, correa and westringia provide shelter for small birds and lizards. Layering groundcovers, shrubs and small trees mimics natural habitat structure and supports a far wider range of species than a single planting layer alone.
Starting small and local is the most effective approach. Plants native to your specific region will attract wildlife faster than species from elsewhere in Australia. Indigenous nurseries are the best source for locally provenant stock and a quick search will usually find one nearby.
2. Add a water source
Water draws wildlife almost instantly. A shallow dish or birdbath supports everything from birds to frogs to native bees and the investment required is minimal.
Keep it shallow and textured
A dish that is not too deep allows birds, bees and lizards to drink safely. Avoid smooth, slippery bowls — rough terracotta or stones give small creatures a way to grip and climb out.
Place it low, near cover
Ground-level dishes suit most wildlife. Position them close to shrubs or native grasses so birds feel protected and can retreat quickly if startled.
Keep it cool and clean
Place the water source in partial shade and top it up regularly, especially through summer. Refreshing the water every couple of days prevents mosquito larvae from forming.
It does not have to be expensive — even an old bowl tucked among the plants will have an impact.
3. Choose organic care over chemicals
A healthy garden is a balanced garden. Rather than relying on sprays and quick fixes, building long-term resilience is the more effective approach. Broad-spectrum pesticides and herbicides can kill more than pests — they disrupt the soil web and harm the insects and birds that keep the garden functioning. Organic alternatives work with natural systems rather than against them.
Neem oil or eco-oil sprays manage sap-sucking insects like aphids without harming bees. Garlic or chilli sprays deter caterpillars and mites naturally. Companion planting helps repel pests while attracting pollinators. Encouraging predatory insects like ladybirds, hoverflies and lacewings by planting pollen-rich flowers reduces pest pressure over time without any intervention at all. Feeding the soil rather than the plant builds the microbial life that naturally strengthens plant immunity from the ground up.
Chemical-free garden tip: Before reaching for any spray, it is worth identifying what is actually causing the problem. Many apparent pest issues in native gardens are temporary population spikes that predatory insects will resolve on their own within one to two weeks if left alone.
4. Build real habitat, not just pretty planting
The best wildlife gardens have genuine structure. Animals need places to nest, rest, feed and hide — without that, even the most carefully chosen planting will not sustain them for long.
Keeping some leaf litter, twigs or mulch undisturbed at ground level creates moisture and shelter for beetles, skinks, frogs and ground-feeding birds. Stacking a few pieces of untreated timber, pruned branches or rocks in a shaded corner creates a habitat pile that will host fungi, insects and microfauna that birds rely on.
Climbing or dense shrubs like correa or hardenbergia create hiding spots and movement corridors at mid-height. Combining water and shade near these structural features encourages safe foraging.
A well-designed wildlife garden works like an apartment building — different residents, each with their own niche, all relying on the same underlying structure.
5. Start small but with intention
Transforming a garden for wildlife does not need to happen all at once. Choosing one part of the garden — a corner of lawn, a front verge or even a single planter — and replacing turf with flowering natives, adding layered planting or setting up a water dish surrounded by shade and structure is enough to begin. Observing what arrives and adjusting from there is how every successful wildlife garden develops: one decision at a time, repeated.
When neighbours see what is possible, they often follow and soon, one small patch becomes part of a living network that extends across fences and streets.
For the life of your garden
If even a small proportion of Australian households turned part of their lawn into living habitat the cumulative result across our suburbs would be thousands of connected micro-sanctuaries woven through the urban landscape. The garden is not separate from the natural world. It is part of it, and what is planted in it matters more than most people realise.
¹ Source: Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water — State of the Environment Report.
² Source: The Value of Backyards, The Connective (2021).
keep reading
A Guide to Australian Native Gardening
How to plan, plant and care for a thriving native garden, whatever your experience level.
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