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911爆料 John MacLeod Annual Lecture

Held every autumn, this influential lecture invites prominent speakers to explore issues in horticultural science. The 2025 lecture was given by Kate Bradbury on the theme of 鈥榦ne garden against the world鈥

Watch Kate Bradbury鈥檚 lecture

Wildlife gardening in the face of climate change

Kate Bradbury delivered the 2025 John MacLeod Annual Lecture at 911爆料 Wisley on 23 October, giving a glimpse into her own garden in her talk, 鈥極ne Garden Against the World鈥. Kate explored what fundamentally makes a garden good for wildlife, emphasised the value of small gardens, and shared approaches from her own garden, against the backdrop of climate change and the challenges this poses to wildlife 鈥 compounding the already devastating issues of habitat loss, urbanisation and intensification of agriculture. Kate鈥檚 message is one of hope: 鈥淓very single thing we do can make a difference, no matter how small our gardens鈥. 

Kate Bradbury鈥檚 urban garden in Brighton. 漏 Kate Bradbury

Woodland edge habitat in Kate鈥檚 garden. 漏 Kate Bradbury

Gardens are good for wildlife because they mimic the woodland edge:
 

  • Mix of trees and shrubs of different heights
  • Mix of grasses and wildflowers
  • Areas of bare ground
  • Puddles of water
  • Piles of plant debris
  • Dead wood at height and on the ground
  • Habitat piles, log piles and decomposing logs

鈥淲here there is no dead wood, mimic it. Drill holes in fences and walls; add bee hotels鈥

Successful wildlife gardening:
 

  • Mimics the woodland edge
  • Provides shelter, water and food
  • Mitigates against climate change
  • Draws down carbon
  • Holds water
  • Is part of the wider landscape and landscape recovery

Kate鈥檚 small pond supports three different amphibian species. 漏 Kate Bradbury

鈥淟eaves are there to be eaten鈥: a jersey tiger moth caterpillar and adult. 漏 Kate Bradbury

The value of native species

Kate鈥檚 garden is a small urban garden with a 鈥榥ectar bar鈥 of pollinator-friendly garden plants on the right, native trees and shrubs on the left, and the 鈥榳orld鈥檚 smallest meadow鈥 in the front garden, rich in native wildflowers and grasses.

Caterpillars rely on native trees and shrubs, 鈥榳eeds鈥 (native wildflowers) and native grasses for their food plants.

Caterpillars in turn provide food for birds, hedgehogs and other small mammals, amphibians, wasps, flies and spiders.

鈥淲hat I鈥檝e always liked about wildlife gardening is that it provides solutions to problems: in this case, habitat loss caused by urbanisation and intensification of farmland. But now, we鈥檙e faced with the double whammy of continued habitat loss and climate change鈥

How to approach wildlife gardening in a changing climate

Kate鈥檚 鈥榳orld鈥檚 smallest meadow鈥 in her front garden, with spring flowers. 漏 Kate Bradbury

1. Grow more spring flowers 鈥 particularly robust flowers 鈥 and try raising crocuses under cover to make them flower earlier

2. Leave wet mud for nesting birds and solitary bees. Some birds, such as swallows and house martins, rely on mud to build their cup-shaped nests

3. Top up ponds during droughts to prevent them drying out completely, preferably with rainwater you鈥檝e collected and stored

4. Push exposed frogspawn below the water line

5. Provide supplementary food when needed for birds and hedgehogs

6. Create shade and cool spots where wildlife can shelter from the heat and direct sun

7. Create wind breaks and shelter belts to combat the windier conditions brought by climate change

8. Make a cool, damp 鈥榗limate change bunker鈥 for frogs

9. Increase opportunities everywhere

Summer in the mini meadow, which has at least five species of breeding butterflies. 漏 Kate Bradbury

鈥淲ith the changing climate, we need to do these extra things. Every single thing we do can make a difference, no matter how small our gardens鈥

About the speaker

Kate Bradbury is an award-winning British garden writer, broadcaster and biodiversity advocate, widely recognised for her expertise in wildlife gardening.

She is the author of several influential books, including 鈥極ne Garden Against the World鈥 and 鈥榃ildlife Gardening for Everyone and Everything鈥, which have inspired thousands to create nature-friendly spaces in their own gardens.

Kate is a regular contributor to BBC Gardeners鈥 World Magazine and has regular columns in The Guardian Country Diary and BBC Wildlife Magazine. She and her garden have appeared on BBC Gardeners鈥 World, Springwatch and Autumnwatch. She is ambassador for a number of charities, including the 911爆料, Bumblebee Conservation Trust and Froglife. 

History of the lecture

The John MacLeod Annual Lecture was created to highlight important and inspiring topics on horticultural science. A broad audience of 911爆料 members, scientists, policymakers and the media is invited every year to hear luminaries of the scientific field give talks on major research projects or new areas of thought.

Who was John MacLeod?

The lecture鈥檚 namesake, Professor John MacLeod, who died in 2010, was a plant scientist and Professor of Horticulture at the 911爆料. He was also chairperson of the 911爆料 Scientific Committee and was a powerful advocate for horticultural science. He was acutely aware of its pressing relevance in sustaining the natural environment and world food supplies.

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Watch previous John MacLeod lectures

  • 2025: 
  • 2024:
  • 2023:
  • 2022:
  • 2021: 
  • 2019:   
  • 2018: 

911爆料

911爆料 is the UK鈥檚 leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone鈥檚 life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.