Gardens and designed landscapes are gaining rightful recognition as valuable homes for nature. Very diverse in age, form, content and scale, they are generally made up of elements of landscaping or landform, man-made structures or interventions and plantings, with non-native plants locally dominant. Combined, these elements create contrived ecosystems and interdependent communities which can hold great value as habitats. Soil type, ground conditions and local climate will vary, creating further opportunities for diversity. In urban settings proximity to other gardens and designed landscapes helps to create connected habitat and wildlife corridors, while in more rural areas they can have an additional role as seasonal refuges, sometimes critical to a lifecycle.
An amazing range of species can be found in gardens. Over a 30-year period from 1972–2002 naturalist Jennifer Owen recorded 2,673 species in her Leicester garden: 474 plants, 1,997 insects, 138 other invertebrates and 64 vertebrates[1]. At a larger scale, Great Dixter garden and designed landscape recorded over 2000 species between 2017 and 2019, including over 1200 invertebrates[2]. Similar research is needed in Scotland for Scottish gardens, designed landscapes and the Scottish nature community to draw on, to support good decisions for nature in future.
Even without detailed studies we do already know that gardens and designed landscapes can be home to a very diverse range of species from bats to birds, badgers, slow worms and hedgehogs. They are important for pollinators such as bees, hoverflies and butterflies. Just as importantly they provide people with their closest daily encounters with nature, delivering recognised health and well-being benefits. Those encounters may not be with rare species or protected habitats, or even native plants, but gardens and designed landscapes allow people to connect with nature and to recognise and then contribute to the wildlife value of their own communities, potentially leading them to value wider nature initiatives.
Photo: © National Trust for Scotland
[1] Royal Horticultural Society State of Gardening Report (2025) p20
[2] Great Dixter Biodiversity Audit 2017-2019 p2
Action Needed
- Support for gardens and designed landscapes as valuable homes for nature to be recognised in the Scottish planning system, for example within the Scottish Planning Biodiversity Metric being developed by NatureScot for the Scottish Government (2026).
- Support for developments that include garden space and communal green spaces and stronger protection for existing trees in development areas – even small pockets of garden space and communal green space can provide refuge for wildlife as well as help create nature networks, improving ecological connectivity. Established trees contribute far more to habitat and amenity than new plantings.
- Support for survey work, research and analysis to evidence better the value of Scottish gardens and designed landscapes as habitats for nature, thereby leading to recognition.
- Support for the Scottish (and UK) horticultural nursery trade – locally grown and small plants have a lower carbon footprint and reduce the exposure of the gardens and designed landscape habitat to risk from imported pests and diseases.
Threats
- Lack of recognition of the value of gardens and designed landscapes for nature in the planning system. Impacts from developments – hard landscaping (eg creation of driveways for off-street parking) and increased housing density results in a loss of green space, threatening the health and resilience of our nature.
- Climate change – as our climate changes, familiar garden plants will begin to struggle. However, gardens and designed landscapes can have a role as refuges for plants at risk in other parts of the world from the same cause. Climate change also risks a different range of plants becoming invasive non-natives. Changing weather will enable pests and diseases to move across the country and become more problematic. Options for artificial controls (pesticides and herbicides) are increasingly limited in availability and use.
- Imported plant pests and diseases – increasing global trade in plants (on-line in particular) and the movement of people brings risks to our gardens and designed landscapes and this habitat at all scales and the risk of a problem escaping into the wider environment. Options for artificial controls (pesticides and herbicides) are increasingly limited in availability and use.
- Loss of traditional skills in horticulture is an increasing issue for the professional care and management of gardens and designed landscape habitats. This includes the knowledge and skills needed for successful future communal greenspace.
MSP Nature Champion
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