Many of Britain's plants and animals have come to rely upon gardens as an essential lifeline as their natural habitats come under increasing pressure from human activity and global warming. This comprehensive book explains the best ways to attract wildlife to gardens and encourage it to stay there. Written in a light-hearted yet passionate and authoritative style, the guide challenges popular notions of 'weeds' and 'pests' and invites gardeners to think again about the choices they make.

Chris Packham's informative and lively text is complemented by attractive photographs and illustrations that will encourage an interest in the natural world on your doorstep, whether your 'garden' is a rural idyll or an urban window box. Chris argues that we have become so spellbound by 'nature's celebrities' – tigers, pandas and their ilk – that we are in danger of overlooking the most exciting species of all: those that we can touch, smell and observe in our own backyard.