Habitat

For too long, we have viewed the suburbs as a place apart from nature—a grid of sterile lawns and rigid fences. But in reality, these neighborhoods are an untapped giant for conservation.

If we stop viewing our yards as isolated islands and start seeing them as puzzle pieces, a massive opportunity emerges. By replacing a fraction of our turf with pollinator plants, water sources and shelter opportunities, we can stitch these fragmented plots back together. Suddenly, a neighborhood transforms into a continuous biological corridor, acting as a vital bridge for pollinators and birds. The suburbs aren’t the enemy of nature; they are potentially the largest, most accessible nature reserve we have—we just have to plant it.

Habitat gardens can be tailored to attract specific kinds of critters, including native bees, butterflies, songbirds, hummingbirds, reptiles and amphibians. They can double as almost any other garden type– xeric, meadow, rain– but they are distinguished by the use of specific features that attract and support the intended wildlife. You can provide berry-producing shrubs for songbirds, trumpet-shaped flowers for hummingbirds, native flowers for pollinators, exposed rock for reptiles, or shallow ponds for amphibians. 

Inviting nature back to the land does more than support wildlife, it nourishes the human spirit.

Consider planting a habitat garden if you want:

• To help the natural world
• To connect to the rhythm of wildlife
• Colorful flowers that attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds throughout the growing season
• Berry-laden shrubs that provide food for birds from summer through winter
• Year-round visual interest, from spring blooms to winter seed heads
• Less time spent on maintenance and more time enjoying nature
• A garden that evolves and improves naturally over time

Quick tips for a habitat garden!

• For the safety of the wildlife, you’ll want to reduce or eliminate chemical inputs (fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides) in these areas. The good news is that the dynamism of habitat gardens makes them remarkably efficient at using water, cycling nutrients, and regenerating plant life– meaning you won’t need those inputs to begin with.
• You can design a habitat in any style, from modern to naturalistic. The key is finding ways to incorporate the foundational habitat requirements: the right food, water, and shelter for the types of life you’d like to attract.
• Tailor habitat elements to suit your site conditions such as placing pollinator-attracting plants back from a public sidewalk.