Dig a ditch for garden biodiversity
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.
Many of our gardens have been flattened, unlike the natural rise and fall of the 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.
Your garden damp ditch will mimic natural features in the countryside, giving hedgehogs and reptiles a lush byway to travel along, and song thrushes a perfect hunting ground. It's also a great way of dealing with any drainage problems, run-off from patios and excess water from your water butt.
Instructions
Choose where to dig your ditch
Watch out for electricity, sewage or water pipes! It’s up to you to decide where to put it, but choose somewhere shady that’s not in a walkway.
Mark out the line of your ditch
Do this before you start digging. Use tent pegs or a garden hose to mark it out. Make it as long as you can – at least one metre.