Wildlife Gardening in Devon: Create a Low-Maintenance, Nature-Friendly Garden in Exeter, Totnes & Beyond

If you're looking to enhance your outdoor space, why not create a garden that not only looks beautiful but also supports local wildlife, reduces maintenance, and thrives in the Devon climate?

Designing a wildlife-friendly garden is one of the most rewarding, sustainable, and wellness-boosting choices you can make for your home.

Why Native Plants Are Best for Wildlife Gardens in Devon

Native plants are essential for attracting local pollinators, birds, and insects. They’ve evolved alongside local wildlife, which means they’re naturally better at supporting Devon’s ecosystems.

Benefits of native planting:

• Supports bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects.

• Attracts birds and small mammals.

• Requires less water and fertiliser.

• Lower maintenance than exotic plantings.

Easy-to-find UK native plants for wildlife gardens:

• Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) – beloved by bumblebees.

• Primrose (Primula vulgaris) – early food source for pollinators.

• Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) – drought-tolerant and loved by hoverflies.

• Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) – berries for birds and nectar for insects.

• Dog rose (Rosa canina) – beautiful and supports birds and pollinators.

• Knapweed (Centaurea nigra) – excellent for butterflies.

• Field scabious (Knautia arvensis) – a magnet for bees and hoverflies.

These plants are commonly available at most local garden centres, especially those with a focus on native and pollinator-friendly varieties.

Pink foxgloves are a native favourite in Devon gardens—beautiful, low-maintenance, and great for bees.

Add Features That Attract Wildlife Year-Round

Even a small garden can become a haven for wildlife; when designed thoughtfully. Here’s how:

For pollinators:

• Plant in groups for visual impact and to help bees forage efficiently.

• Choose a range of flowering times from spring to autumn.

• Include herbs like thyme, marjoram, and lavender—attractive and edible!

For insects:

• Install a bug hotel or simply stack logs and bamboo in a quiet corner.

• Leave some areas undisturbed—a patch of long grass or nettles supports caterpillars and beetles.

• Always avoid pesticides – help nature find its balance.

A simple insect hotel adds charm and biodiversity to your garden—offering vital habitat for pollinators and pest-controlling insects.

For birds:

• Plant holly, hawthorn, or rowan for berries.

• Add bird boxes and a shallow water source for bathing.

• Include dense shrubs or native hedges like field maple, privet, and yew for shelter.

A blue tit finds a safe home in a well-placed bird box—just one example of how Devon gardens can support native birds year-round.

For small mammals:

• Leave low gaps in fencing to create hedgehog highways.

• Build log piles or create small homes.

• Grow ground covers like bugle (Ajuga reptans) and creeping thyme for shelter.

A hedgehog makes its way through a Devon garden designed with nature in mind - even small changes can create vital habitat for local wildlife.

Wildlife Ponds and Bog Gardens

Devon’s naturally wet climate and heavy clay soils provide the perfect setting for wildlife ponds and bog gardens—two of the most powerful ways to support biodiversity in your garden.

A pond doesn’t have to be large to be valuable. Even a small, shallow water feature can support frogs, newts, dragonflies, and birds, while a surrounding bog garden makes clever use of wet or poorly-drained areas.

Why include a pond or bog garden?

• Provides fresh water and habitat for amphibians, birds, and insects.

• Supports dragonflies, damselflies, and pollinating hoverflies.

• Makes the most of naturally damp or low-lying parts of your garden.

• Adds a striking, calming focal point that blends with the landscape.

Native marginal pond plants to try:

• Iris pseudacorus (Yellow flag iris) – dramatic and nectar-rich for insects.

• Mentha aquatica (Water mint) – fragrant, pollinator-friendly, and great for edges.

• Butomus umbellatus (Flowering rush) – elegant pink blooms that attract hoverflies.

• Alisma plantago-aquatica (Water plantain) – excellent for frogs and insects.

• Caltha palustris (Marsh marigold) – early flowering and vibrant gold.

Native bog plants for wet soil:

• Filipendula ulmaria (Meadowsweet) – lovely scent, attracts bees and hoverflies.

• Lychnis flos-cuculi (Ragged robin) – delicate and great for damp meadows or bog edges.

• Geum rivale (Water avens) – dusky-pink flowers, loved by bees.

• Succisa pratensis (Devil’s-bit scabious) – beautiful blooms for late summer pollinators.

• Carex elata (Tufted sedge) – strong structure and excellent for amphibian cover.

Wildlife ponds are often more valuable to nature without fish. Fish are lovely gentle creatures but will gobble up a lot of the wildlife in the water. For the most impactful wildlife pond, why not let nature find a home. It won't be long until the pond or bog garden evolves into a sanctuary for local aquatic wildlife.

By incorporating a wildlife pond or bog garden into your outdoor space, you’ll be tapping into one of the most impactful ways to support Devon’s wild residents—while also turning a problem area (like boggy ground) into a stunning and useful feature.

Why Gardening for Wildlife Makes Sense in Exeter, Totnes and the South Hams

A wildlife garden doesn’t just support nature—it also improves your quality of life. And it suits the climate and conditions of Devon particularly well.

The benefits include:

• Less watering – native plants are often more drought-resistant and suited to local soil.

• Low-maintenance design – no need for constant mowing, pruning, or feeding.

• Well-being – spending time in a biodiverse garden is proven to reduce stress and boost mental health.

• Eco-conscious lifestyle – reduce your environmental impact by supporting native flora and fauna.

Whether you're in Exeter, Totnes, Newton Abbot, or the wider South Hams, your garden can become a mini nature reserve that supports your local ecosystem.

Garden Design and Construction with Nature in Mind

At Flora & Form, we specialise in wildlife-friendly garden design and construction across Devon, working closely with homeowners between Exeter and Totnes to create spaces that are beautiful, functional, and biodiverse.

From concept to completion, we’ll help you:

• Plan with pollinators and native plants in mind.

• Build habitats and eco-friendly features like ponds and bog gardens into your outdoor space.

• Create a design that suits your lifestyle while benefiting the local environment.

Garden Design in Devon That Gives Back to Nature

We’re proud to help clients in:

• Exeter

• Totnes

• Ashburton

• Dartington

• Newton Abbot

• And the surrounding South Hams area

Whether you're transforming a small town garden or a larger countryside plot, we can help you make the most of it—for you and for wildlife.

Ready to Rewild Your Garden?

Contact us today to book your free garden design consultation. Let’s work together to build a garden that’s good for pollinators, birds, and your own peace of mind.