Collectibles

Kids love collecting things, and there's a whole industry of plastic-packed mini figures and sticker sets to prove it. Why not channel that collecting instinct to get kids out of the house, interested in nature and improving your garden for free?

Pine cones

Beautiful and fun to collect, pine cones make a great mulch for your soil. Pile them on, as you would chipped bark, to help your soil retain water, deter slugs and provide a home for spiders. They also make lovely seasonal decorations and can be turned into a bird feeder.

Sticks

Dead wood is a brilliant wildlife habitat. Create a pile of twigs, sticks, branches or logs in a quiet, shady spot to create a home for beetles and bugs. Smaller twigs can be bundled up in string or cardboard tubes to create a hanging bug hotel. More insect hotel ideas.

Sticks are great for garden crafts too, like weaving and windchimes or a stick ladder christmas tree. 'Twiggy' sticks make fantastic plant supports They can look attractive in pots amongst spring flowers or bulbs where they will help stop the flop. Stick larger twiggy branches into the soil around plants in spring, to keep them in shape.

Larger sticks can also be dried in the sun until the bark peels off, then painted for use in your garden. Use leftover or sample tins of garden or exterior paint if you don't want the paint to peel.

Fallen leaves

Kids seem to love raking and bagging up fallen leaves. Add them to home made bug hotels and wood piles to provide nests for critters. If you have an out of the way corner, stuff as many leaves as you can into an old compost bag to make a fantastic mulch or soil improver.

Stones and pebbles

Bare in mind that removing pebbles, sand or any natural material from a beach is against the law in the UK and not entirely good behaviour in other public places. However, if you have stones or pebbles to hand in your garden, they are great for painting, decorating or using as a mulch, particularly in pots or for succulents. Make a pebble mosaic, a whole pebble garden or add texture to a path. It's amazing how a pebble collection can spruce up your garden.

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