A DEVON-based charity is inviting local people to turn their gardens into mini-wildlife havens. Devon Wildlife Trust is now giving free advice to budding wildlife gardeners via a new on-line blog.

The blog's first entry tells readers how to plan and plant a small annual wildflower bed. It takes a practical and realistic approach covering preparing the ground, getting seed, planting and aftercare.

The blog has been written by Catherine Burgess who has created her own wildlife-friendly garden with her husband and two young children at Bovey Tracey.

Catherine said: 'I have a real passion for helping to make gardens attractive, productive and also great for people and wildlife. I have been a keen gardener for many years but every day brings new opportunities. I hope readers will find the blog inspiring when there have been successes and take some of the ideas forward and improve on them when things haven't worked out so well!'  

Devon Wildlife Trust's new gardening blog is available via the Wildlife Gardening webpage at http://www.devonwildlifetrust.org/wildlife-gardening">www.devonwildlifetrust.org/wildlife-gardening