How to Use Landscaping to Create a Backyard Wildlife Habitat

  Part of nature's beauty is wildlife, and it’s often one of the most exciting parts, too. There are lots of ways to use landscaping to attract more wildlife onto your property, but it’s important to do so properly. As more wildlife becomes present, your landscape will also be healthier. Let’s dive into how to use landscaping to create a backyard wildlife habitat.    

Using Landscaping to Attract Different Wildlife

  Birds, butterflies, and bees are great forms of wildlife to start with because they’re pretty, beneficial to your plants, and are easier to attract than larger wildlife. The best way to attract these species is to plant flowers. Bee balm, butterfly weed, lavender, milkweed, and salvia are bright, fragrant, nectar-rich plants that attract pollinators, monarch butterflies, and hummingbirds.   It’s important to incorporate trees and shrubs into your landscaping as well so birds have a shelter. Similarly, bird baths will provide them water–and it will also provide water to other pollinators. Another strategy is to leave seeds to dry after flowers have bloomed so birds have winter food.   Overall, it’s important to consider your yard and neighborhood. Most pollinators prefer bright, sunny areas with a large connection of territory. If you don’t have any woodland or forest areas around your house, prioritize planting hedges and shrubs, colorful plant varieties, and getting as much sun into your area as possible.  

Landscaping Aspects to Include in Habitat Building

  Ultimately, wildlife is drawn to three things: food, water, and shelter. You want to be careful when offering food, as it could attract dangerous wildlife, but one great way to do this is by installing bird feeders. You can even do different types of bird feeders to attract different birds simultaneously. Including a mix of different plants, such as native plants, fruit plants, nectar-rich plants, and hedges, also benefits many species.   Adding a water source is also a great way to attract wildlife, whether it be a small pond to house frogs, newts, and dragonflies, a bird bath, or drinking water. When you provide food and water in conjunction with opportunities for shelter, you’ll begin to see lots of wildlife.   Shelter can come in many forms, especially when you’re looking to create habitats for multiple species. In general, including natural features like rocks, logs, and dead trees can create hiding spaces or temporary habitats. You can also consider building brush piles to provide dense cover, nesting areas, and places for wildlife to rest, feed, and escape.  

Natural Landscaping Maintenance

  Though habitat landscaping tends to grow a bit more wild and consists of plant varieties that don’t need much lawn maintenance, there are still some things to consider. For example, pesticides and herbicides should be applied at a complete minimum, if used at all. Harmful chemicals make all wildlife species sick, so if your goal is to attract wildlife, it’s best not to use them at all.   There are many natural or organic alternatives to chemical lawn care treatments, such as mulch or compost. In fact, using organic and natural mulch and compost attracts more beneficial wildlife as it allows for beneficial insect varieties and encourages a healthy microbiome. These things could even contribute to the habitats themselves.   While wildlife habitats are less maintenance, pulling weeds, managing pests, and removing invasive species or diseased plants are still crucial. More wildlife can lead to a self-sustaining environment where diseased plant life or pests will become unlikely, but when just starting out, it’s crucial to create a landscape that wildlife feels safe living in.  

Conclusion

  Creating a backyard wildlife habitat is easier than it seems–it just takes a different mindset. Wildlife habitats make your landscaping healthier, more sustainable, and more self-sustaining, making it incredibly fun to watch nature right from your own property. Now that you know how to use landscaping to build wildlife habitats, you can do it in your own backyard.