Bats are wonderful creatures to have around. They are vital parts of the ecosystem, helping to keep pest numbers in check and keeping the system in balance. As a gardener, you will benefit from having bats around. And can enjoy watching them swooping around in their nocturnal activities.
The key to creating a bat friendly garden is creating a garden which is welcoming to wildlife in general. So that means planting as wide a variety of plants as possible, gardening organically, and leaving wilder corners so a range of different species can find a home in your space.
If you create a garden with a range of habitats – woodland areas or fruit tree guilds, a vegetable area with plenty of flowers and herbs as companion plants, a hedgerow etc.. you are more likely to see bats arrive (and stay) in your garden.
A bat friendly garden should be a place with plenty of insects around for bats to eat, and plenty of places for them to nest and shelter. Some of the best plants for bringing bats to your garden include native trees, shrubs and climbers for hedgerows and garden boundaries, and a wide variety of flowering, insect-attracting plants. Planting around a wildlife pond will also help to draw in the variety of prey that will help draw them in.
Native Trees for Bats
Bats need trees for a range of reasons. Trees can provide a place for bats to nest and shelter of course – especially mature native species. Native trees will also harbour a range of insect and other life, of course, helping to provide bats with plenty to eat.
Different bat species have different preferences and different nesting habits. But all common bats in the UK will use and benefit from trees. Some native species such as oak, ash and beech are particularly useful.
All deciduous trees can in fact be useful in attracting bats and keeping them in your garden. But some trees that might work particularly well include:
Good native tree options:
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Alder
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Ash
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Beech
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Birch
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Oak
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Rowan
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Service Tree
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Spindle
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Whitebeam
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Willow
Including trees which can be coppiced to provide fresh, young growth for insect life as well as mature trees can be a great idea. And coppice trees can also provide you with additional yields. When choosing trees for your garden, just make sure that you choose options suited to conditions in your area, and your particular garden. And be sure to think about how large a particular type of tree can be expected to grow.
If you already have trees in your garden, think twice about knocking them down. If you want to help and encourage bats in the area, mature trees must be left standing wherever possible. Tree losses are a leading danger for bats in the UK.
Adding bat boxes to new and existing trees can also help in making bats welcome and can help them to set up home in your space.
Plants for Hedgerows, Walls and Fences
Another important habitat space for bats are hedgerows. And hedgerows and tree lines also help bats to navigate around a landscape. By creating diverse hedgerows or lining a garden boundary with climbing plants or wall shrubs, you can help them thrive in your area. Of course, diverse edge planting will also attract plenty of food for the bats that arrive in your garden.
Some great shrubs and climbers to include in your garden to attract a range of insects, and bats, are listed below:
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Blackberries
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Blackthorn
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Elder
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Hawthorn
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Hazel
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Holly
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Honeysuckle
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Hornbeam
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Ivy
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Roses
Though of course there are plenty of other excellent shrubs and climbers to choose from. The key to creating wildlife friendly garden boundaries is to include as wide a range of different plants as possible. Including plenty of native species is usually the best strategy.
Flowering Plants and Herbs for Bats
Of course, for a wildlife friendly garden full of insects and other life, flowering plants, and fragrant herbs are essential. There are a huge range of plants to consider. But some of the very best plants to attract a wide range of insects (and the bats and other creatures that eat them) are:
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Asters
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Aubretia
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Angelica
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Borage
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Chamomile
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Clovers
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Cornflowers
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Evening primrose
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Fennel
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Feverfew
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Honesty
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Hyssop
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Knapweed
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Lavender
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Mallows
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Marjoram
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Nicotiana
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Night-scented stock
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Phacelia
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Poppies
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Red campion
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Red valerian
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Rosemary
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Scabious
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Soapwort
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Sweet William
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Thyme
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Verbena
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White Jasmine
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Yarrow
The key is to include as many different flowering plants as possible. These should bloom throughout as much of the year as possible. You should have flowers open in your garden throughout the year. Including a wide range of different flower types, with different shaped flowers, will ensure there is a wide range of different insects for bats to eat.
Night-flowering, night-scented flowering plants can be beneficial. Some examples of these from the list above are white jasmine, night scented stock and nicotiana.
Aquatic and Marginal Plants for Bats
Bats will really appreciate a water source in your garden. They are just one of many species which will benefit if you decide to add a wildlife pond to your outside space. A pond will attract numerous insects, but it is important to make sure that you plant it up with a wide range of aquatic and marginal plants so that a thriving ecosystem can emerge.
Some wildflowers that are great for pond edges or boggy areas include:
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Bog bean
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Bugle
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Creeping Jenny
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Flag iris
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Hemp agrimony
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Marsh mallow
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Meadowsweet
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Purple loosestrife
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Water avens
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Water forget-me-not
Weeds
It is also important not to be too zealous in weeding your garden if you would like to make it a sanctuary for bats and other wildlife. Many weeds are important for attracting insects to a garden, and, again, having plenty of insects around is one of the best ways to bring bats to your garden.
We tend to think of weeds as the enemy. But often they are simply plants that are native species, particularly well-adapted to the environment. It does not pay to be too ‘tidy’ in a bat friendly garden.
Some gardeners who want to be more wildlife friendly will leap straight to bat boxes and the like. But it is important to remember that the plants you choose to grow (or let grow) will be far more important. A planting scheme is the most important part of any garden – especially when you want to welcome wildlife in.
So if your garden is looking a little bare – make sure you increase biodiversity and pop more plants in as soon as possible. The more you sow and grow, the better things will be for the bats in your area.
Do you have bats in your garden? What benefits do they bring? Where do you see them spending time and what plants do you have in your garden to attract them? Share your experiences and suggestions for other gardeners in the comments below.
