Many of our gardens are flat, unlike our rising and falling natural landscape.

By adding a shallow ditch – (or what’s called a ‘rill’ on our nature reserves), you can create a wider variety of homes for nature.



It will mimic natural features in our countryside, and give hedgehogs and reptiles a lush byway to travel along, and song thrushes a perfect hunting ground.

Its also a great way for dealing with any drainage problems, run-off from patios and surplus water from your water butt.



If you have clay soil, your ditch may form a temporary narrow pond during part of the winter. But don’t worry if it never holds any water, as it’s always likely to have a rather more humid microclimate than open, sun-scorched, flat land around it.

You can, of course, start digging when you like, and indeed in autumn the ground may not be so wet. But it's in winter that you'll be able to see most clearly where you are going.

Are you doing this activity as part of your personal plan? Either take a look at your progress or create your own easy-to-follow personal plan to help you give nature a home where you live.