Go wild in Windsor with this year’s Wildlife Garden Awards

Entries are open for the 2026 Wildlife Gardens Awards, so do your bit and give nature a helping hand.

Make your outdoor space wildlife friendly and enter this year’s Wildlife Gardens Awards in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

The community-driven initiative celebrates and encourages wildlife-friendly outdoor spaces across the borough and is open to residents, workers, students, schools and community groups.

Last year an impressive 284 outdoor spaces were entered – a 30% increase from the previous year – reflecting a rising local commitment to biodiversity and sustainable gardening.

This year, organisers have set an ambitious target of 350 gardens and open spaces, hoping to inspire even more people to put wildlife at the heart of their outdoor spaces.

By promoting simple and low-cost features, the awards encourage the integration of wildlife habitats into gardens while fostering biodiversity and sustainability.

Run entirely by volunteers from the local ‘Wilds’ groups, the awards are free to enter and based around 24 simple, cost-effective features that support nature – from planting nectar-rich flowers to installing wildlife ponds, bird feeders, log piles, and adopting pesticide-free gardening practices.

Participants receive recognition at Bronze, Silver or Gold level based on the number and variety of features in place.

Peter Gibbs, member of Wild Maidenhead and BBC Gardeners’ Question Time host, said:

“Gardens make up almost 10% of urban green space in England. If we all included just a few wildlife-friendly features in our gardens, balconies, allotments, school grounds or shared green spaces, we could make a huge difference to biodiversity and help nature respond to climate change – as David Attenborough has shown us in his latest series!”

Divya Jayakar, Chair of Wild Maidenhead, added:

“Any outdoor space can provide a safe haven for people and wildlife. Front gardens, in particular, can give pleasure to passersby while also having wildlife friendly features such as water for small mammals, hedgerows for nesting birds and flowers for pollinating insects. 

“We hope many people will be encouraged to make whatever outdoor space they have wildlife-friendly this year.”

Everyone who qualifies receives a certificate, and all entrants are acknowledged.

“This award is for everyone who puts wildlife first in their outdoor spaces,” continue Wild Maidenhead.

“It’s about celebrating the small actions that collectively create a big impact.”

Visit wildlifegardensawards.org for the entry form and a wealth of wildlife gardening tips and suggestions for how you can support wildlife, however large or small your outdoor space.

The deadline for entries is Friday 31 July 2026.

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