PILES of dead wood, long grass, bee hives and ponds – are just some of the wildlife-friendly features that impressed the judges of Surrey Wildlife Trust’s Wildlife Garden Awards 2016, held at Squire’s Garden Centre in Badshot Lea.

“Nearly 100 people entered the competition this year and half of those achieved gold standard, which is a brilliant result!” said the trust’s wildlife gardening officer Dawn Fielding.

“It’s clear there are lots of people in our county who are really passionate about gardening for wildlife and it has been a real pleasure to visit their gardens to decide who would be this year’s Wildlife Garden Award winners.”

Wildlife that was once common in our gardens in now under serious threat – bees, hedgehogs and many of our birds, including the house sparrow and swift, are in decline.

As many gardeners become less tolerant of weeds, using more pesticides and covering the ground with decking, gravel and patios, so nature is being squeezed out.

“Surrey’s gardens make up around 12 per cent of the county’s landscape – more than 20,000 hectares - and if we all make space for nature in our own backyards, it will give wildlife a huge helping hand,” added Dawn.

The eight over-all winners in each category, and the corresponding judges’ comments, were:

• Schools - St Joseph’s Specialist School and College, Cranleigh: “A large woodland area, orchard and horticultural centre where students discover wildlife, grow plants in the raised beds and gain skills for life. Inspiring work and lots of space for nature…”

Green Oak School, Godalming: “Packed with fruit and veg and flowers but also two goats and a pig in the school grounds! Inspiring the children to garden for wildlife and to eat salad…”

Ashley C of E Primary School, Walton on Thames: “Vegetables and fruit, native wildflowers, a woodland area, an orchard of heritage fruit trees and wildlife area, their own bee hives from which the children help collect honey. A fantastic example for others…”

• Private garden (large) - David Knapp, Puttenham: “An inspiring cottage garden which is a haven for bees and butterflies, with a thriving pond teaming with frogs, newts and dragonflies…”

• Private garden (medium) - Rachel Mulligan, Godalming: “Transformed a neglected garden which includes wildlife habitats in every corner, including a beech hedge, long grass, fruit trees and a pond…”

• Private garden (small) - Bev and Steve Ayton, Woking: “A wildlife oasis in suburban Woking with visiting nuthatches, long tailed tits and families of hedgehogs. A garden made for wildlife…”

• Business - Fire and Iron Gallery, Leatherhead: “A brilliant space for wildlife. The pond is managed carefully for great crested newts and piles of dead wood support a host of stag beetles. A passion for wildlife is clear...”

• Community Garden - Patchworking Garden Project, Dorking: “Volunteers have transformed this unused space with a bird watching area, woodland glade, borders packed with flowers and they’re developing a bog garden. So much to see and an attractive space for both people and wildlife…”

All entrants whose garden qualified received a bronze, silver or gold certificate declaring their garden to be officially a wildlife haven.

Gold award winners were also presented with a commemorative plaque and the best gardens won a £50 Squire’s Garden Centres voucher.

“At Squire’s Garden Centres we appreciate how important gardens can be for the well-being of our native wildlife and many of our customers do too,” said Sarah Squire, deputy chairman of Squire’s Garden Centres, which sponsored the competition.

“Many are specifically selecting plants which are useful to wildlife - this great news, but there’s clearly more to do. So we are delighted to be working closely with the Surrey Wildlife Trust to encourage more wildlife into people’s gardens.”

The Wildlife Garden Award 2016 is part of the trust’s ‘Wild About Gardens campaign’. It forms part the trust’s vision for a ‘Living Landscape’, which aims to provide a network of wildlife friendly refuges to enable wildlife to thrive and move across our landscape.

For further tips on how to turn your garden into a wildlife haven go to www.surreywildlifetrust.org/wildlife/wildlife-gardening. Wildlife gardening packs offering a host of good, simple ideas are also available through the trust’s online shop for £6 each.