Peter Krumhardt
Creating a backyard wildlife habitat can be quite simple.
Start creating a wildlife garden with the tips and ideas in this guide.
Mix Up Flower Shapes
Andrew Drake
Different types of pollinators prefer different shapes of flowers.
Credit:Peter Krumhardt
Some like flat clusters of tiny flowers, and others seed out trumpet-shaped blossoms, for example.
Coneflower,Russian sage, sedum,salvia,hyssop, phlox, andhydrangeawere chosen for their pollinator potential.
Plus,native plantsrequire less maintenance than non-native species because they are better suited to the soil and climate.
Credit:Andrew Drake
Keep an eye out for invasive plants that may venture to sneak into your garden.
It’s also important to stay on top of weeding, especially as your meadow gets established.
Bird baths are available in a variety of styles and materials.
Credit:Bryan E. McCay
Birds prefer shallow basins no more than 2 inches deep with a rough surface for good gripping.
Native trees and shrubs offer ideal spots for nesting and raising young.
Brush piles give critters alternative habitats.
Credit:Robert Cardillo
Leave trimmings from trees and shrubs in an out-of-the-way corner of your yard.
Install Birdhouses
Includebirdhouses to entice nesting pairsto raise their broods in your backyard.
Placement depends on the species you’re trying to attract.
Credit:Andrew Drake
For example, wrens like to have trees nearby, butbluebirds need big, open areas.
Holes vary by species, toothey should be just big enough for the desired resident to fit through.
(Most cavity-nesting birds use boxes with 112 inch-diameter holes.)
Credit:Blaine Moats
Use sturdy hardware to attach a birdhouse to a post or tree trunk.
A metal baffle will discourage egg-stealing predators, such as raccoons and snakes.
Never use a nesting box with a perch; they invite invasions by pest birds.
Credit:Jay Wilde
Include Host Plants for Caterpillars
Butterfly larvae have their own food preferences.
Parental instinct guides each species to lay eggs on the plants their offspring favor.
Plenty of native trees and shrubs also provide nectar with their flowers.
Credit:Better Homes and Gardens
Once in your garden, these tiny birds will also visit flowers in other colors.
Avoid Pesticides
A backyard wildlife habitat will often include creatures that eat your plants.
Native species that fit into yards large and small includeserviceberry,crabapple, andhawthorn.
Credit:Jay Wilde
Excellent native shrubs includebeautyberry, American cranberrybush, elderberry,chokeberry, winterberry, and coralberry.
Some good choices includeprairie dropseed,little bluestem, andswitchgrass.
In early spring, trim back the stalks before new growth begins.
Credit:Jay Wilde
Welcome Beneficial Bugs
Marty Baldwin
Not all bugs are bad.
A habitat garden supports plenty of beneficial insects that will naturally help you keep pests at bay.
Bykeeping feeders filled year-round, you get loyal patrons.
Credit: Carson Downing
Get Certified
Jason Wilde
The National Wildlife Federation has a certification program for wildlife habitats in gardens.
Thousands of individual, community, school, and company landscapes have been certified as wildlife-friendly.
Your yard could be next if you meet the requirements.
Credit:Edward Gohlich
Credit:Jay Wilde
Credit:Jay Wilde
Credit:Bill Stites
Credit:Janet Mesic Mackie
Credit:JANET MESIC-MACKIE
Credit:Marty Baldwin
Credit:Peter Krumhardt
Credit:Jason Wilde
