Wildlife Friendly Gardens
Garden Expert Tonya Ashworth talks about things you can do to encourage wildlife to visit your garden. Wildlife will come to your garden when there is food, water, and shelter. These things can be provided by plants in your yard, and you can supplement with feeders.
If you want to attract birds, you should use your entire yard. Also, think about all the vertical space you have available from tall trees to short perennial flowers. Plant trees, shrubs and flowers that provide both shelter and food for the birds. Tonya lists good tree, shrub, and vine choices. She also talks about feeders that provide seeds, fruit and suet. You can also provide birdhouses.
To attract butterflies, you need to think in two ways. First, you need to plant host plants for the caterpillars. Caterpillars are very choosy about what plant they will eat so you can attract a certain species by planting a certain host plant. Second, adult butterflies – and hummingbirds – feed from nectar plants. Tonya gives a list of some of these plants.
Bees are attracted to blue and yellow flowers. They will be attracted to many of the same flowers as the butterflies. Also, you can provide a place for solitary bees to lay eggs. You can make a bee hotel out of a block of wood and Tonya explains how.
Related Videos:
Planting a Butterfly Garden
Birdbaths
Hanging a Hummingbird Feeder – Family Plot
How to attract butterflies hummingbirds and bees to shady yard
Related Resources:
Attracting Birds to Your Yard
Attracting Butterflies to the Garden
Attracting Native Bees to Your Landscape
If you want to attract birds, you should use your entire yard. Also, think about all the vertical space you have available from tall trees to short perennial flowers. Plant trees, shrubs and flowers that provide both shelter and food for the birds. Tonya lists good tree, shrub, and vine choices. She also talks about feeders that provide seeds, fruit and suet. You can also provide birdhouses.
To attract butterflies, you need to think in two ways. First, you need to plant host plants for the caterpillars. Caterpillars are very choosy about what plant they will eat so you can attract a certain species by planting a certain host plant. Second, adult butterflies – and hummingbirds – feed from nectar plants. Tonya gives a list of some of these plants.
Bees are attracted to blue and yellow flowers. They will be attracted to many of the same flowers as the butterflies. Also, you can provide a place for solitary bees to lay eggs. You can make a bee hotel out of a block of wood and Tonya explains how.
Related Videos:
Planting a Butterfly Garden
Birdbaths
Hanging a Hummingbird Feeder – Family Plot
How to attract butterflies hummingbirds and bees to shady yard
Related Resources:
Attracting Birds to Your Yard
Attracting Butterflies to the Garden
Attracting Native Bees to Your Landscape