Benefits of Wildlife in the Garden

A garden with a diverse population of insects, birds, and even small mammals indicates healthy soil and a good ecosystem. If you can draw birds into your garden, they can help keep the pesky bug population in control. The more pollinators you attract, the better the pollination of your crops. Small mammals can benefit the garden by aerating the soil, even if we don’t always consider that to be helpful. Earthworms help break down dead plants and contribute to the soil’s nutrient level. Let’s look at how you can turn your garden into a thriving wildlife community.

Water

All living things depend on water to survive in some form. Adding a water feature is a sure way to show wildlife that your garden is a great place to live. It could be something as small as a bee water station or a bird bath. A pond can support many beneficial life forms if you have the space. Dragonflies depend mainly on water and can help the garden in many ways; they eat flies, mosquitoes, and other bothersome bugs.

Birds rely on shallow sources of water to drink and keep themselves clean. Birds can also significantly reduce the insect population. Add a small bird bath to keep your feathered friends around for the bug buffet.

Bees are great for gardens as they help pollinate plants. Water is crucial for bees’ health when the weather gets hot. Honeybees use water to thin nectar for honey-making and to cool down their hive. Bees can drown in deep water sources. You can buy bee-safe drinking stations or make your own by placing marbles or rocks in a shallow dish and adding water. The bees can land on the rocks or marbles and dip to get water. Bee water dishes can dry up fast, so refill them daily.

If you can manage a pond, you can host a wide variety of beneficial wildlife. Frogs, toads, newts, dragonflies, and fish can all help your garden’s ecosystem.

Shelter

Bird houses offer birds a safe place to nest in the spring and summer months. If you have the space, hedges are also great places for birds to nest. Shrubs and trees like privet, hawthorn, and holly make great nesting spots. Long grasses are also great for providing shelter to birds, insects, and small mammals. Keep an area of your lawn shaggy and unmowed, or opt for a row of beautiful ornamental grasses.

Bats conjure up spooky feelings in some people, but there’s no reason to be afraid of these awesome creatures. One bat can eat thousands of bugs in one night. DIY tutorials exist on making a simple bat house, or you can purchase one assembled. Bat houses should be around 20 feet off the ground.

“Bug hotels” give beneficial bugs shelter to live and nest. You can buy cute bug hotels or make one yourself. They can be as simple as a pile of rotting logs, too. You can learn more about the benefits of leaving leaves, logs, and other materials in the garden over the winter here.

A lot of garden centers sell mason bee houses, and you can buy the mason bees in the spring, too. Mason bees provide early pollination.

Food

Food is probably the main reason wildlife sticks around your garden; if there isn’t any food, there isn’t any reason to stay. If you want to keep birds in your yard throughout the fall and winter, consider leaving spent blooms of flowers so there will be seedheads for them to snack on. Some great options are echinacea, sunflowers, asters, and zinnia. Teasel is a common plant considered a weed to most, but its dried seedheads offer food well into the winter.

Hedgehog Habitats

If you are lucky enough to be in an area of the world with hedgehogs ( I wish), consider helping them by making your yard a hedgehog haven. Hedgehogs are night hunters and can keep your slug and snail population down. Fallen logs and protected hedges make great hedgehog homes. You can also construct or buy adorable little houses. If you have a pond, ensure that they have safe water access by providing a gradual entry or a ramp. Hedgehogs can roam long distances (by their standard), so creating a path or “hedgehog highway” can be helpful. Create spaces in the fencing so they can get around if you have a garden on the small side.

Sharing Space with our Wildlife Friends

Designing a wildlife garden is a rewarding project that benefits both the garden and the gardener. By adding in elements such as water sources, shelters, and food options, you can attract a diverse range of wildlife, enhancing your garden’s health and happiness. The Planter App can help you create the wildlife garden of your dreams!

Dried Bouquets

Dried flower bouquets let you extend the beauty of cut flowers well past summertime.  You can personalize your bouquet with the receiver’s favorite flowers. You can also use seed heads and foliage of plants in addition to the flowers. The best time to cut flowers is after any dew has dried and right before they are in full bloom. Gather your bouquet and secure the bunch with garden string or a rubber band.   Hang upside down in a cool, dark, well-ventilated area for a few weeks. Dried bouquets make great decorations that can brighten up any space. Some good plants for dried bouquets are lavender, yarrow, poppy seed heads, grasses, sunflowers, and roses. 

Dried Fruit and Vegetables

Fruit and vegetables can be dried and then packaged up for gift-giving.  Dried fruit makes a tasty snack or oatmeal topper.  Dried vegetables can be used in soups, pasta dishes, and more.  A dehydrator works best for drying produce, but fruit high in sugar and acid can be dried outside in the sun.  Most tomatoes are high in acid and so can be sun-dried. Be sure to research the best techniques for drying your own garden pickings. 

Pressed Flowers

Flower pressing is a hobby that goes back quite a long time. Pressing flowers is one of the easiest ways to enjoy your garden in a tangible way. There are some really neat flower presses you can buy. Otherwise, you can flatten flowers between a piece of wax paper and use books to press down on the plants for a couple of weeks. The secret is to use plants that are not too bulky or full of moisture. Suggested plants are roses, calendula flowers, yarrow, ferns, lavender, daisies, California poppies, Queen Anne’s lace, and zinnias. After a couple of weeks of pressing, check to see if the plant is fully dried, and look out for mold. If there is any mold, sadly, it needs to be tossed. There are so many things you can make with pressed plants. You can make greeting cards and gift tags, decorative pictures using clear panes, and more. 

Herbal Tea

If you have an abundance of chamomile flowers, consider using them as part of an herbal tea gift basket. Combine your flowers with a loose tea leaf infuser, and you have a gift that promotes relaxation. Other good herbal teas are lemon balm, rose petals, sage, lemon verbena, or any combination.  

Kitchen Spices

Almost everyone can appreciate a homegrown gift of dried spices. We all have to eat, so dried kitchen spices can be a universally loved gift! It’s a great way to use that extra harvest of rosemary, sage, or thyme.  For garlic lovers, you could give up a few cloves or a whole garlic braid if you’re generous. 

Lavender Hot Chocolate Mix

For something unique, lavender hot chocolate mix can be easily made at home. Harvest some lavender cuttings and hang them to dry upside down. English varieties are best to use for flavoring.  In a couple of weeks, after they are fully dry, collect the dried flower buds by stripping them off of the stems.  Mix 1 TBSP of dried flower buds into 1 cup of your favorite premade hot cocoa mix, or make your own blend. Dried lavender is pretty strong in flavor, so you can use less if you like. Package in a jar and label.  You could make a pretty label with pressed flowers, too!

Herbal Bath Soak

Dried herbs can be mixed with Epsom salt to enhance bath time.  Chamomile and lavender are a fantastic mix for a sleepy-time bath blend.  Sage and rosemary can be supportive to use during a cold.  You can also add different kinds of salts for color and relaxation.  Dead sea salt can give your mix a luxurious spa feeling. Pink Himalayan salt adds a fun color.  Add layers of salt and dried herbs in a jar.  Get creative.  Rose petals are a classic herbal bath addition.  Add a muslin bag to contain the herbs to avoid any mess in the bath. 

Time to Start Planning

Handmade gifts take effort, so give yourself plenty of time. Making gifts with your plants is a fun way to connect to your garden. If friends and family enjoy spending time in your garden, then chances are they will be moved by a thoughtful gift that came from the source. Happy gifting!