Gardening for wildlife is one of the most popular and practical things we can do to keep in touch with the natural world. But does it have any real benefits for wildlife on a countrywide scale or is it merely a placebo which convinces us that we're doing something to save the planet? Paul Evans visits the winter conference of the Wildlife Gardening Forum to find out if our efforts are making a difference, and asks conservationists where the future of wildlife gardening lies.