The RSPB is working with a homebuilder to encourage Hertfordshire residents to give nature a home in their garden.

David Wilson Homes has joined links with the conservation charity to offer customers handy hints on how to keep their outdoor space wildlife friendly.

They include information on how to do your bit for nature on a small budget and in less than two hours.

If you would like to help preserve Britain’s wildlife or transform your garden into a haven for nature this season, you could consider opening up a bird café.

They say this will attract all types of colourful feathered friends and is as simple as investing in a bird feeder or a bird table with a roof and putting a mix of seeds, fruits, nuts and oats in/on them. For a variety of birds, an assortment of bird food is the key.

Glenn Copper, senior sales manager at David Wilson Homes North Thames, said: “We’ve chosen the bird café as our absolute top tip because I think it’s a great way for homeowners to add wildlife and colour to their gardens, without having to spend hours on it. Birds are fascinating creatures and we should treasure them and be able to appreciate their mesmerising behaviours close up.”

Another suggestion is to make a butterfly banquet of mushy bananas in a sheltered high place for autumn butterflies like red admirals, painted ladies and comma butterflies to enjoy – as they particularly like sugary treats.

Creating a safe hideaway by building a wildlife hotel for bugs out of old wooden pallets - and using plant pots, straw, old roof tiles, sticks and logs - provides holes, spaces, tunnels and cosy beds for creepy crawlies to climb into.

You could also try making a hedgehog highway by setting up a safe ‘corridor’ in your fence for them to move through. By connecting with your neighbours, to agree to make a hole in the fence, you are protecting hedgehogs from other animals, as they walk up to a mile a night looking for a perfect spot to hibernate in.

RSPB gardening expert Adrian Thomas said: “There is a greater recognition these days that Britain’s gardens can be a haven for wildlife – all it takes is a bit of know-how. Given that wildlife is struggling, it is such a rewarding thing to do and can bring us all huge pleasure too.”