Certified Garden Tour

Diane’s Wildlife Haven in Walsingham, Ontario

To kick off our Certified Garden Tours, we give you Diane Salter’s garden in Walsingham, Ontario. Enjoy the view!

Diane’s pond is the perfect spot for birds and critters alike to grab a sip or take a dip

Butterfly Weed

An Eastern Foxsnake makes itself at home on Diane’s front deck

Grey Headed Coneflowers standing tall

A Yellow-Spotted Salamander sneaks by a window well

An American Lady butterfly nabs some nectar from a Purple Coneflower

Certify your Garden

 

The Canadian Wildlife Federation launched the Backyard Habitat Certification Program in 2000 hoping to prompt Canadians to garden responsibly. If your garden is wildlife friendly, pesticide free and filled with native plants, why not make it official and certify your garden with us? If you want to learn more about how to create an oasis for wildlife in your backyard, visit Wild About Gardening for tips on how to make your garden grow for critters and humans alike to enjoy. Go ahead. Flaunt your green thumb.

Photo by Sarah Coulber

Majestic Monarchs

 

 

Looking to create a monarch butterfly oasis in your backyard? Think milkweeds. This budding plant fends off hungry bugs and birds with a poison called cardiacglycosides. And since it doesn’t affect monarch butterflies and larvae, predators that try to snack on these majestic creatures become sick and learn to steer clear of them altogether.

 

If you live in eastern Canada, Ontario or Quebec, plant Common or Swamp Milkweed. For westerners, Green Milkweed is perfect for Manitoba’s climate, while Show or Low Milkweed grows best in Alberta. Whatever you do, avoid the use of herbicides at all costs as they wipe out milkweed and other sources of nectar for monarchs thereby threatening their food source.

 

Look for the first wave of monarchs to arrive in your backyard Canada in early June.

Photo by MrClean1982 on Flickr

 

 

Aspects of Wildlife Friendly Gardening

Winter is a good time to verify whether you’ve met the year-round needs of wildlife. Are there birds visiting your garden? Do they have a place to seek shelter in cold weather? If your garden is looking a bit barren, you might want to consider adding an evergreen this spring. Evergreen trees and shrubs offer year-round protection from inclement weather and also provide places to hide from predators. They also add some interesting colour to  the omnipresent blanket of white in winter landscapes.  There are four main things to consider when planning out your garden: food, water, space and shelter.

Food: Make sure you plant species that meet the dietary needs of local wildlife. You’ll attract a variety of animals whose needs aren’t met by seed feeders and you’ll add more colour to your garden!

Water: Water is a very important element and easy to provide for wildlife. Simply put out a bowl of water on a stump when the temperature is above freezing, or create a pond. Whatever you do will be appreciated!  

Space: Wildlife see your garden in 3-D. They are attracted to different shapes and varying heights. Add lots of layers, including shrubs, trees and perennials, to increase the wildlife traffic through your garden.   

Shelter: Give little critters some place to hide out from predators or keep warm during the winter months. 

  aspects-of-wildlife-friendly-garden.mp3

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Native wildlife gardens

What is a native plant? Simply put, they are plants that were here before the European settlement. They are great for wildlife-friendly gardening! Native plants are used to local conditions and because of this they will thrive (without the need for harmful pesticides!) and are better suited to meet the needs of wildlife. Some wildlife species are actually entirely dependent on the availability of certain native plants.  Spruces, harebells and ferns oh my!

Read more about these and other native plants: http://www.wildaboutgardening.org/en/features/section5/index.asp 

Find a good source for native plants near you. Visit http://www.wildaboutgardening.org/en/gab/section3/index.htm 

Check out the native plant encyclopedia http://www.wildaboutgardening.org/en/growing/section4/index.htm  

Click below to listen to some great advice from Maria MacRae, Manager of Backyard Habitat!

native-wildlife-gardening.mp3  

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Benefits to your garden from wildlife

the cold outside has me dreaming of warmer days and envisioning the green under the snow that is waiting to pop out at the first sign of spring! I bet my excitement for spring is only eclipsed by that of the many creatures that feed, live and frolic in my garden.

Remember: As much as you are helping out wildlife by providing food sources for them, they are also helping you by keeping insect pests away. Ladybugs, tiger beetles and other little critters keep your plants healthy because they eat the eggs of other insects and, as a result, keeping your garden safe!  Toads, snakes, dragonflies and many more animals are your allies! Keep them happy. Read more:

http://www.wildaboutgardening.org/en/attracting/section5/index.htm

Listen to Maria, Manager of Backyard Habitat, give some great advice!  Benefits to your Garden from wildlife

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Get your green thumbs itching!

Welcome to Gardening Gab - brought you by Wild About Gardening.

Read about and listen to great gardening advice, including ideas for wildlife-friendly gardens and the benefits of using native plants! For more information on Wild About Gardening visit www.wildaboutgardening.org