Watching the wildlife in our gardens has brought real solace for many during lockdown. But how can you get closer to nature when you have no garden, or even a balcony?
The RSPB suggests nine ways to make the most of your window, bring the outside in and give something back to nature at the same time.
Nature themed spaces in Sara Humphrey's home
1. Be creative! Naturalist Sara Humphrey has been bringing the outdoors in since she was tiny. From painting murals on walls to making nature-themed furniture and hanging branches from her ceiling, Sara loves to fill her home with nature and using natural items she’s found to decorate with.
“The key thing is, the DIY and art doesn’t have to be perfect, nature often isn’t! It’s the calmness of the environment and your interpretation of nature that will make you feel connected, not the attention to detail,” says Sara.
“For kids in particular, the creation is a great memory in itself. This is something I’ve done since I was very small and not having a nature themed space in my home feels alien now!”
2. Open up! Simply keeping windows open during the day will help you listen to and feel nature and keep you energised.
3. Hang (and make!) bird feeders – putting out food for birds is a great way to attract them to your window. There are several ways to using household items.
Great tit enjoying a home made birdfood kebab David Tipling RSPB Images
4. Take up birdwatching – wherever you live, it’s likely there are birds, and you only need eyes, ears and a little time to enjoy them. can help you to recognise the characters in this wildlife aerial soap opera!
5. Put up (and make) bird and bat boxes – both need more homes. Attach to a wall on the side of your house, preferably facing between north and east. Of the 18 species of bats in the UK, you’re most likely to see the common pipistrelle – it’s tiny, weighing just five grams and is an overlooked pollinator!
Put a bat box on your wall David Mc Hugh RSPB Images
6. Grow your own food – if your windows have internal ledges, tomatoes are a good place to start. The next time you’re cutting one up, save some of the seeds and plant them. This reduces the carbon footprint your end as well as brightening up your window.
7. Set up a bug hotel – these will work particularly well if you’re on the ground or first floor. You can upcycle an old soft drink bottle by filling it with twigs, bark, rocks, and hollow bamboo canes or straws and dangle it outside your window to create a .
8. Hang insect-friendly plants – if you’re able to hang planters by your window, try having . As well as being beautiful, they can also provide essential pollen to struggling insect life. Many of these plants can serve a third purpose in that they’re delicious for humans too! Dwarf runner beans, oregano, and thyme, for example, all have flowers full of tasty pollen.
9. Fill your home with plants. Lots of green inside adds fragrance, colour and calm to your home.
Short haired bumblebee on a flower Dave Goulson RSPB Images