Gardening 101+

You might wonder why there is information on garden design on a website devoted to gardening for wildlife. After all, a wildlife-friendly garden is often thought of as a "messy" affair that mimics nature. While there is incredible value to the re-creation of natural habitat in a manner that reproduces a wilderness area such as a meadow or forest, there is also wildlife value in a garden designed along more formalized lines that still provides food, water, and shelter for wildlife.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some wildlife supporters take much deserved pride in allowing nature the freedom to do what it will with their property to create maximum benefit for wildlife. Others have a strong desire to create a more formal design on all or part of their property, but would still like to welcome wildlife. These preferences are not mutually exclusive. Beautiful and natural can go hand in hand.

Creating a garden that is beneficial to wildlife is a matter of putting some thought into a plant selection that meets the needs of the wildlife you would like to attract. If you would like a more formalized garden, read through the following tips on design, decide which elements you would like to incorporate in your garden, come up with a list of plants that will fit in that design, and then narrow your selection based on each plant's ability to provide food and shelter for wildlife. Our Native Plant Encyclopedia will help you in that final regard.

		General Tips Read this section for useful tips that can help make your gardening project a success.
Photo credit: Mary & Kingsley Rajapakse		Design Style  This section touches upon a few gardening styles to consider for your green space.
		Foliage Rediscover the world of foliage. With their various shapes, sizes and colours, leaves can provide texture in a garden and create an attractive backdrop for other plants.
		Colour Schemes Read how grouping plants in certain ways can not only affect the look of your garden, but also its feel.
		Form and Structure Learn how plant shapes can affect the appearance of your garden.
		Contrast and Repetition Get ideas on arranging your plants by groups and types.
		Seasonal Flow Here are some tips for keeping the visual interest flowing from season to season.
		Rocks, Logs and Water Get some ideas for incorporating natural elements in your garden.
		Mapping Assessing your property is a great way to help guide your gardening project into a success. Find out how.