For many of us, a garden is a retreat: a place to relax, to grow vegetables, to share meals in summer. But in Euskal Herria, especially along the coast, gardens are more than private spaces. They make up a large part of the green terrain between houses, roads, and villages—meaning they form one of the most important pieces of living nature that still remains close to people.
Birds visit them daily, bees forage from their flowers, and soils filter water that runs into streams. The way we garden can either harm or heal this living fabric.
The good news? With a few simple changes, every garden can become a haven for biodiversity—and a healthier place for people too. Here’s how.
1. Welcome pollinators
Bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and beetles all depend on gardens. In fact, in urbanized parts of Europe, private gardens can host more pollinator species than farmland. But they only thrive if they find the right flowers and habitats.
What to do:
- Plant for seasons: Choose species that flower at different times of year, so there’s nectar from February to October. Examples: wild primrose (Primula vulgaris), Basque crocus (Crocus carpetanus), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), and ivy (Hedera helix).
- Leave some wildness: A patch of nettles or brambles may not look neat, but it’s food for caterpillars of butterflies like the Red Admiral.
- Build homes: A simple pile of sticks or a “bee hotel” (bundles of hollow stems, bamboo, or drilled wood blocks) can provide nesting space. These are sold in garden centers or online, but you can also make one yourself with prunings.
2. Banish stagnant water (and mosquitos)
One of the fastest ways to reduce mosquitos is to remove the places we give them to breed. Tiger mosquitos (Aedes albopictus), now present in the Basque Country, lay eggs in tiny pools: old pots, buckets, clogged gutters, even saucers under plant pots.
What to do:
- Check your garden weekly: Empty containers that collect rain.
- Keep gutters clear: Standing water in roof gutters is a mosquito nursery.
- Use barrels properly: If you collect rainwater (a great idea—see below), keep barrels sealed with a lid or fine mesh.
Wild wetlands rarely suffer mosquito explosions, because predators like dragonflies and frogs keep them in check. Gardens can work the same way: a small pond with plants and shade attracts natural mosquito eaters and keeps the balance.
3. Plant local, think ecological
Exotic plants can be beautiful, but many don’t support local insects. Worse, some become invasive, like pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana) or New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax), which spread aggressively and reduce biodiversity.
What to do:
- Choose native plants: Oaks (haritz), hawthorn (elorria), holly (gorostia), and heather (erika) provide nectar, berries, and shelter.
- Flower power: Basque meadows are full of species that thrive in gardens too: cornflower (Centaurea cyanus), meadow sage (Salvia pratensis), or rockrose (Cistus salvifolius).
- Mix trees and shrubs: A small fruit tree, a hazel bush, and a hedge of native shrubs can feed you and wildlife alike.
Garden centers often focus on exotic ornamentals, but native plants are increasingly available. Nurseries like Viveros Eskalmendi (Álava) or Viveros Berroa (Gipuzkoa) stock local species; community plant exchanges are another option.
4. Collect and use rainwater
In a region where rainfall is abundant but summers are increasingly dry, capturing rain is both practical and ecological. Tap water is treated and costly; rainwater is free, soft, and ideal for plants.
How to do it:
- Install a rain barrel: A 200–300 liter barrel with a downpipe diverter fits under most gutters. Brands like Garantia or Graf are widely available in DIY stores (Leroy Merlin, Bricomart). Expect to pay €60–150.
- Upgrade to a tank: For larger gardens, slimline 1,000 liter tanks exist and can be hidden behind sheds.
- Distribute smartly: Attach a tap and hose to your barrel, or use a gravity-fed drip irrigation kit (sold in garden stores for €25–40).
This way, instead of becoming floodwater, rain becomes a reserve for dry spells. Stored properly, it also keeps mosquitos out.
5. Create micro-habitats
Nature thrives in variety. A garden that is all short grass is almost a desert to insects. By adding micro-habitats, you multiply biodiversity.
What to do:
- Leave a meadow patch: Stop mowing part of the lawn from April to July. Wildflowers will bloom, and pollinators will appear.
- Add deadwood: A pile of logs or branches provides shelter for hedgehogs, insects, and fungi.
- Think vertical: A climbing ivy on a wall or a honeysuckle on a fence offers nectar and nesting spots.
6. Rethink chemicals
Pesticides and herbicides kill not only pests but also bees, butterflies, and soil organisms. In the Basque Country, many municipalities now ban glyphosate in public spaces—why use it at home?
What to do instead:
- Weeds as groundcover: Clover or daisies in lawns fix nitrogen and support pollinators.
- Manual methods: Mulching (wood chips, straw) suppresses weeds; hand-weeding is effective on small plots.
- Natural sprays: Soap solutions or neem oil can tackle aphids without destroying ecosystems.
Why it matters
In Euskal Herria, private gardens together cover more area than many nature reserves. Along the coast, where urban development leaves little wild space, gardens may represent the largest continuous green network available to birds, bees, and hedgehogs.
That means every balcony box and every orchard can make a difference. When multiplied by thousands of households, small choices—planting local flowers, collecting rainwater, avoiding pesticides—become ecological infrastructure.
A garden as part of the commons
Think of your garden not just as your space, but as part of a shared landscape. Pollinators don’t stop at the fence; rainwater doesn’t care about property lines. By gardening with nature in mind, you strengthen not only your own patch of green, but the health of the Basque Country as a whole.
Your garden can be more than decoration. It can be refuge, reservoir, and classroom. Most of all, it can be part of a bigger story: restoring the wild connections that still bind us to this land.
