Five ways to create a beautiful garden that helps wildlife and lowers your energy bills

Want to lower your energy bills and help wildlife thrive?

We all want to do our part for the environment but the way we design and use our gardens could be more powerful than you think.

Whether you’re looking to support local wildlife, make sustainable choices or save money,, these five ideas can help you create a garden that does more with less.

Here are five quietly powerful ways to make your garden not just a place of retreat, but a force for good. Some will save hedgehogs. Others might even power your car or your home...

1. Let sunlight power your home

A blonde woman kneels in her garden. Her house lies in the background with solar panels on it — Getty: coldsnowstorm

As summer’s long days return, it’s easy to overlook the potential of your own rooftop. Installing solar panels not only reduces your carbon footprint, but it can also lead to major savings on your energy bills.

In fact, UK solar panel installations are up over 15% year-on-year. Why? Because solar has never been smarter, more affordable, or more suited to real homes.

With longer days arriving and energy prices still rising, there’s never been a better time to make the sun work for you.

Egg makes it easy with:

Flexible finance from just £51/month*
Custom systems for your roof and energy needs
A smart app that shows your savings in real time
(*Finance subject to eligibility. See Egg for details.)

Bonus tip: Add a solar battery to store unused power for night-time, cloudy days, or emergencies and make your home even more self-sufficient.

Not sure if your home’s suitable? Egg offers a free solar check and quote to help you find out.

Get your free solar quote from Egg

2. Make space for hedgehogs

A hedgehog drinks from a shallow water dish — Getty: Helen Reid

Create a hedgehog highway by cutting a 5-inch (13cm) hole in your fence to allow them to pass through.

Pair this with:

Log piles and a wild area
Leave shallow bowls to drink from
Encourage your neighbours to do the same

One small change can open up whole new territories for hedgehogs as your garden becomes part of a bigger network.

Head to our guide on how to help hedgehog to learn more.

3. Fuel your car with clean energy

A woman in a blue stripey shirt uses an EV charger to charge her car — Getty: Images By Tang Ming Tung

Already drive an electric car? Take your savings further by powering it with sunlight.

Egg's smart home charger lets you:

Charge your car with energy from your solar panels
Monitor usage and costs through their easy-to-use app
Schedule charging when it's most efficient

Find out if a home EV charger is right for you.

4. Introduce a wildlife pond

A common frog pokes it head out of a pond — Getty: creativenaturemedia

Whether big or small, carving out some space for a garden pond can attract a whole host of wildlife. Frogs, newts, birds, and insects can take refuge in your oasis, providing an essential habitat in the face of an increasingly fragmented future.

Here’s how to make a wildlife pond work in your space

5. Turn your roof into a habitat

A roof adorned with greenery — Getty: Artur Debat

Got a shed, extension or bike store? Turn it into a small ecosystem by adding sedum mats or wilflower turn.

These living roofs:

Insulate the building below
Create shelter for birds and pollinators
Reduce rainwater runoff and help manage urban heat

Head to our chat with John Little on green roofs and reusing waste materials to learn more.

Ready to get started?

Egg makes it simple to turn your home and garden into a clean-energy hub.
Why not get your free, no-pressure quote today?