In a world where pressure from development is making life difficult for many of our wild creatures, gardens provide a vitally important habitat for many species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and plants. "Gardenwatch" provides all the information necessary for a 'hands-on' backyard naturalist. The first part provides an introduction to the garden habitat and ideas on how to encourage wildlife into the garden, including bat boxes, roosting pockets for birds and sites for hibernating insects and reptiles. In section two, seasonal chapters provide an overview of what to look out for at any given time of year.A combination of photographs and artworks bring to life the wild creatures described in the text and provide identification guides to many species and families, from trees to bumblebees and snails to mammal tracks. Throughout the book are numerous 'getting involved' boxes, with suggestions on how you can participate in national surveys that record garden wildlife - everything from Tawny Owls to ladybirds - and therefore enable you to make a vitally important contribution to the conservation of wildlife.For both established garden wildlife aficionadoes or just curious beginners, "Gardenwatch" is the essential guide to making the most of the animals and plants that are literally on your doorstep.

Author Biography

Sarah Whittley was the founder of the Wildlife Art Agency, which she set up to encourage more young artists into natural history illustration. An expert naturalist, she has since produced a range of wildlife books and is the author of The Garden Bird Book and All About Birds, which are also published by New Holland. Sarah now owns The Pinkfoot Gallery in Cley, Norfolk, a renowned natural history art gallery and bookshop.