Maintaining Our Gardens To Maximize Their Value As Habitat
FOR WELL-MEANING GARDENERS, sometimes the hardest thing to do is not much at all. But inaction is what the winter wildlife garden demands—at least for the most part.
A garden’s value to wildlife depends not only on what you plant, but also on how you maintain it. Decisions about when and how to tidy up the garden can make the difference between habitat creation and habitat destruction for stem-nesting insects and bees. Seed heads and the stems of perennial plants can provide food, overwintering materials, and habitat for birds and several species of native pollinators.
If you’re cringing at the thought of a messy off-season landscape, think again. There is much to be gained from embracing—and getting creative with—organic materials during the winter months. “Most gardens are way too sterile,” says Claudia West, whose work informs the National Wildlife Federation’s How to Design a Better Wildlife Garden guide.
Be ready to commit. Desirable insects that enhance soil health and feed birds, lizards and other critters very likely will lay eggs in the debris provided. “It will be occupied,” she says confidently, “like a little hotel.” Similarly, fallen logs drilled with holes can be placed strategically to add form and create even more habitat for insects that nurture native wildlife.
From Smithsonian Gardens: Winter Garden Maintenance for Wildlife Friendly Habitats
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