This simple DIY bird bath costs nothing and takes minutes to make – it could be a lifeline for wildlife in the heat

With temperatures set to soar across the country again this week, spare a little thought for our animal friends - especially the birds who need extra help during a heatwave.

Birds bring plenty of benefits to a garden. Not only is their birdsong a tranquil and welcome sound, perfect for a relaxing afternoon enjoying the slower pace of life, but attracting more birds is a proven tip for dealing with pests, helping get rid of slugs, snails, aphids, and other insects that can damage your plants.

Fortunately, installing a bird bath to give them a place to cool off and stay hydrated in the heatwave doesn’t need to cost time or money. We've found a clever hack that allows you to set up a makeshift bath using just two repurposed items: a plant pot and a saucer.

Home and lifestyle creator Hanna Bertram shared the 'easiest and quickest' garden project to give yourself as many bird baths as you want. “All you need is an upturned pot and saucer and you’ve got the sweetest bird bath in minutes”, she writes.

Flipping a plant pot upside down and placing a saucer on top (or any low, flat dish that fits) creates the easiest bird bath we’ve ever seen, but it’s absolutely perfect for upcycling any unused pots, saucers or dishes.

What’s even better, if previous heatwaves have killed your lawn this summer or you’ve found you’ve lost a few patches of flowers, this clever trick is actually great to hide any signs of that. Cover up burnt grass as you hold off on watering or empty corners with a simple feature that can bring a plethora of wildlife and birds to your outdoor oasis.

Expert bird bath advice: where to place it and what to be aware of

Per the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds), the only thing to keep in mind when creating your upcycled bird bath is choosing the right materials. They explain, "The surface of the bath must be rough so birds can grip it with their claws and not slip – avoid shiny, slippery containers.

"It should also be large enough to hold sufficient water to withstand a vigorous bathing session by a flock of starlings."

Moreover, if you want to attract plenty of birds with this trick, where you place it will be important. The RSPB explain, "Birds will need to have clear visibility as they bathe, nearby bushes or trees to provide cover if alarmed, and perches to use when preening.

"Ensure cats cannot use the cover to attack bathing birds. This can be done by placing a thick layer of clippings from thorny vegetation, such as rose or pyrocantha, beneath the bushes."

With the hot temperatures staying quite consistent and with the ease and simplicity of this bird bath trick, you could simply try moving it around different spots of your garden and seeing which yields the best results.

There are many ways to elevate this very easy tip, too. For example, make it look like a luxurious outdoor feature (and not just a couple of upturned pots) by painting them a unique or complementary colour.

Whatever theme you’ve got going in your garden, you can upcycle the pots to add to this, from soft pinks and blushes to go alongside a cottage garden full of roses to something more distinct.

Another way of taking this a step further is playing with layers. Adding different-sized pots near one another could make this look less random or out of place, and instead create an intentional bit of outdoor staging. The lower bird baths might also prove beneficial to other wildlife, like squirrels.

Wrapping some fairy lights or solar-powered lights around the base could also give you subtle but enchanting light features when it gets darker.

Whether it’s creating simple garden features like this bird bath, turning it into the ultimate outdoor cinema or adding personality to your plants with Sara Davies’s “super easy” trick, it’s easier than you might think to create the garden of your dreams that feels true to your whims and style.