Written by GLENDA HARRIS  

Benefits of a
Habitat Garden

• Replenishment of food supply in your area for migratory birds as they pass through

• Shelter for small animals and birds and safety from their predators

• Nesting space to raise young

• Assuring sources of pollen and nectar, critical for sustaining our food supply

• Contribute to the preservation of healthy wildlife

• Increased awareness and knowledge of nature and its benefits

• Teachable moments with countless opportunities to share your love of the natural world with the next generation

Spring in Georgia is beautiful and draws us outdoors to take in the fragrant blossoms and fresh signs of new life. Nature provides the perfect backdrop for the many activities we enjoy, whether gardening, birdwatching, grilling out or front porchin’.

With the advent of spring comes regular lawn maintenance. There is much to clean up and do in preparation for the growing season. What if, in the process of doing this, you could customize some of your outdoor spaces and create a backyard habitat garden?

All you have to do is make small additions or changes to attract the pollinators of the natural world: birds, butterflies, bees and bats. Also, small mammals and nesting wildlife need areas to burrow for protection from predators and bad weather.

Creating your backyard – or front yard, or side yard – habitat garden is easy and rewarding. It can be large or small. Make it a family project! The teachable opportunities are cleverly disguised as fun, and when kids participate, they become invested in the natural world by learning how they can make a difference. Plus, they'll get a kick out of seeing bunny rabbits visit nesting areas they help make by bunching mulch or straw in between plants in flower beds.

Consider planting milkweed so you can be part of the nationwide effort to prevent the extinction of Monarch butterflies due to their natural habitat disappearing. Not only is milkweed the primary food for Monarchs; it's essential for the life cycle of the butterfly. Their caterpillars can eat milkweed only. Four types of milkweed grow well in all planting zones of Georgia, and your efforts will be rewarded in the spring when these fragile creatures visit your yard.

More than beautiful and fun to watch, wild animals and pollinators play an important role in the human food chain. Bees alone are essential or important to about 35% of America’s crops, according to geneticliteracyproject.org, which deems all species of pollinators in trouble today with large drops in their populations over the past two decades due to disease, invasive plantings, pesticides and diminishing habitat.

The good news is homeowners and landowners can play a key role in building back that habitat.

Even if you live in an apartment or urban setting, you can contribute by placing a small container garden on a balcony, a puddling stone in an open space for butterflies, and bird feeders near bushes. These simple steps can provide food, shelter and protection for nature's wild creatures.

This planet is our home. If we don’t care for it, who will?

Nature teaches, inspires and humbles. We need only step outside and pay attention. By creating your backyard habitat garden, you are collaborating with Mother Nature as a citizen scientist and wildlife conservationist, making you part of the solution going forward.

6 steps to your Habitat Garden

1. FOOD. To supplement nature’s bounty, hang bird feeders from a shepherd’s hook. Avoid tree limbs or fence posts, which provide easy access for squirrels. Use a blend to attract a greater variety of birds. Research plants native to your region to learn which trees or shrubs bear fruit, berries, cones and nuts and include those in your landscape plan. Cardinals love holly berries and sunflower seeds. Hummingbirds are attracted to bright colors like red, fuchsia and orange. Native bees love Mexican Heather, Jasmine and most fragrant flowers and shrubs.

2. WATER. Make a small water feature, place a bird bath in a shaded area or create a pond on your property. Did you know butterflies need mud puddles, which provide crucial minerals and nutrients? It’s as simple as a small pit or depression in your yard that will hold water, or you can make or buy a puddling stone. That's a great project to do with the kids.

3. PROTECTIVE COVER. Deciduous trees offer summer shelter and shade. Evergreen bushes and hedges give year-round protection to small animals. Bat houses are easy to make and can help control mosquitoes and other insect populations. Place birdhouses at least six feet high to give Eastern Bluebirds and other native backyard birds a safe haven.

4. NESTING. Animals need safe places to nurture and raise their young. Create natural areas around groups of trees with perennial shrubs like Juniper, Jasmine or Creeping Phlox and tall grassy plants. These in-between areas of mulch and soft ground are perfect for burrowing rabbits or chipmunks.

5. SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES. Use locally grown plants or seeds and avoid using pesticides or herbicides. Choose instead non-chemical, organic products which are widely available. Inspect trees and plants regularly for disease and insect infestation. Prune, water and fertilize as recommended.

6. GET CERTIFIED. This is a fun way to document your efforts and certify your habitat garden. Visit the National Wildlife Federation at www.nwf/certify.org and follow the instructions. They offer signs and plaques to share your pride and help motivate others to grow habitat gardens. NCM