How Do You Make a Wildlife Habitat in Your Backyard?
Whether you’re an avid birdwatcher, you love seeing squirrels, or you have always wanted to get an up-close look at some deer – or any other wildlife that is native to your area – you may be wondering how to make a wildlife habit in your backyard to attract them. With the following tips, you can turn your backyard into a beautiful sanctuary that will welcome creatures, great and small.
How Do You Make a Wildlife Habitat in Your Backyard?
Wildlife Gardening Tips
Before we get started, it’s important to note that it can take several years before you get your backyard to a point where local wildlife will freely wander in. With that said, however, there are several things that you can do that will help to create a wildlife habitat for many species of animals. Below, you’ll find a variety of tips that will offer both long-term and immediate results.
Make Use of Containers
Whether your backyard is large or small, container gardening is an excellent way to welcome wildlife that is native to your area. Fill baskets and pots with colorful plants that are filled with food sources such as nectar to attract butterflies, bees, birds, ladybugs, and other types of wildlife in your area.
Strategically place the containers around your backyard, such as on fence posts, along the edges of walkways, on steps, on your patio or deck, and even on tabletops.
Plant Native Flora
Planting native species of flora is an excellent way to make your backyard wildlife friendly. Why? Well, because animals that are native to your local area will naturally be attracted to plants that are native to your area. Plus, native plants will thrive in your habitat. Therefore, they’ll last longer, which means that the critters will grow to recognize that your yard is a safe haven that they can return to year after year to dine or to seek shelter.
Whether you live in the Pacific Northwest, the Northeast, along the Gulf Coast, in the desert Southwest, the Midwest, or any other part of the country, there are most certainly several species of plants that are native to your local area. Find out what those species are and incorporate them into your landscape.
Get Rid of Invasive Plants
Unfortunately, there are several species of invasive plants that grow all over the country. These plants are problematic because they can completely take over your entire yard, damaging other species of native plants that wildlife would be attracted to. If native plants are damaged, well, you aren’t going to really see many creatures coming into your backyard.
To find out the names and characteristics of invasive species of plants in your area, visit the USDA’s website, where you’ll find a list titled “Introduced, Invasive, and Noxious Plants”.
Click here to find more details about troublesome plants in Colorado. Examine your yard to see if you can identify any of those invasive species, and if you spot them, get rid of them.
Eliminate Some Grass
Chances are that your backyard is comprised of mostly grass. While lush, green grass may look lovely and it may be nice to walk on, it doesn’t offer much value for wildlife. If your goal is to turn your backyard into a sanctuary for wildlife, then you can try getting rid of some of the grass and replace it with larger flower beds.
You can either create thoughtfully planned and spaced-out gardens filled with native species of flora, or you can create a wildflower garden filled with flowers, trees, and shrubs that are native to your local area.
SOLMAUNA Creations & Landscaping Designs in Colorado
Our team of landscape designers brings a unique combination of landscape architecture education paired with extensive knowledge of plants to the table. Contact us Today.