Gardening for Wildlife

No matter your gardening style, resources or size of green space to play with, wildlife-friendly gardening is possible for everyone. And it can be beautiful.

The colourful blooms, berries, fall foliage and diverse plantings that create interesting texture in the garden year-round can also nurture birds, butterflies and other beneficial creatures . This in turn can help you, with benefits like natural pest control and strong plants — not to mention the delights of bringing nature to your back door.

This growing season, consider gardening with our wild neighbours in mind.  No matter how many of these ideas you are able to apply to your property, something is better than nothing and may simply be the first step to bringing greater balance to your area and our planet as a whole.

		Provide Food for Wildlife Providing wildlife with their favourite foods is a great start in attracting them to your property. Find out about the different food sources you can provide for your local and migratory wildlife.
Photo credit: Jennifer Howard		Provide Water for Wildlife Water is the basis for all life. It is necessary for drinking, keeping clean and healthy as well as for cooling off and shelter. Add a source of water to your yard and you will be amazed at the wildlife you attract.
Photo credit: Jadzia von Heymann		Provide Shelter for Wildlife Wildlife needs shelter for many reasons. It offers protection from inclement weather such as extreme cold, rain and heat, it helps them hide from predators and it provides them with places to safely raise their young. An absence or shortage of shelter limits the wildlife that will visit your property.
		Garden in an Earth-friendly Way: Green Gardening Helping yourself and our environment is good for wildlife too. Check out these green gardening tips for saving water, companion planting, going organic, composting and using natural fertilizers, as well as an understanding of the soil and how to add these elements into your green space.
		Incorporate Regionally Native Plants Though many of today’s popular garden plants are imported, native plants are making a comeback for a host of good reasons that include their beauty, low maintenance and ability to support beneficial wildlife. Read on to find out more.
		Get Certified! Join hundreds of other Canadians that certified their properties as 'wildlife-friendly'. This recognition for your amazing efforts to welcome wildlife to your green space helps to raise awareness that gardening with wildlife in mind is beneficial and can be incredibly beautiful.