Creating Habitat for Wildlife

 

Habitat for wildlife is being eliminated daily from the State of Florida with the increasing clearing and development of land for housing. To help offset this impact to wildlife it will be necessary for homeowners to recreate habitat and food sources in their yards. Creating an inviting habitat is the easy part. The more difficult part is providing the necessary food sources that birds, butterflies and other pollinators need to prosper. Many wildlife species require certain plants that provide seeds, berries or specific host plants for caterpillars. Birds require thousands of caterpillars in spring to feed their offspring until they're ready to fledge. 

The majority of yards in Florida today are planted with ornamentals that originated in other countries. If we are to sustain our wildlife populations which are necessary for our own survival we will need to plant the native food sources they eat. The good news is that it's possible to have a beautiful landscape and to provide for wildlife at the same time. You can start small by adding keystone native plants and trees in small areas of your garden. If you live in an apartment or condominium, you can provide food sources in beautiful pottery.

Doug Tallamy is the leading authority who is educating and paving the way for Americans across the country to join together and provide habitat and food to sustain our bird, butterflies and other pollinating species. Please join me in watching Tallamy's video Bringing Nature Home and taking on this challenge to help repair and replace some of the lost habitat in Florida by creating connecting areas for wildlife to find nourishment and provide for their young. I look forward to hearing your thoughts about the video in the comment section.

A Miami Gardener's Transition to Native Plants

If you garden with "natives" or for "wildlife" or are just thinking about making some changes in this direction in your own garden, then you will definitely enjoy reading Mary Ann Gibbs article 'Our Beautiful Subtropical Garden' on the Florida Native Plant Society blog.

Her garden looks like a beautiful oasis in the midst of a large city, and it is full of inspiration and the names of the many native plants they have included in their garden. Some of these plants may not be the best choices for those of us who garden here in the central part of the state but there are plenty that will survive and thrive here. She will inspire us to make the transition to more natives that benefit our local wildlife.

Source: Florida Native Plant Society blog (www.fnps.blogspot.com)

Click here to read: Our Beautiful Subtropical Garden

If you garden for wildlife or have included native plants in your garden, please contact me with your story. I would love to share it with others here.

Natural Florida Landscaping - The Book

Several years ago I began working on creating (or should I say "enhancing") a natural area on our property that will provide food for all types of wildlife.

In my search for information on the types of plants that will attract a large variety of wildlife, I came across a book written by Dan Walton and Laurel Schiller entitled Natural Florida Landscaping. This duo have been growing native plants, and selling them in their Florida Native Plants Nursery in Sarasota for the last ten years.

It is a small book (about 102 pages) but is written in a simple and effective format that allowed me to easily determine which plants fit my location requirements. Many times when I finish reading a book such as this, I find myself overwhelmed with information and confused on where to start. That was not the case with this book. The most helpful part of this book were the tables of trees and plants well suited for north, central and south Florida. These tables included the average height, moisture and light requirements, as well as comments on what it provides for wildlife. I immediately began to create lists based on my location without getting confused or overwhelmed.

Other good information in this book includes advice on "rethinking" your current yard with tips on how to begin adding natives to what is already there. Small changes can attract wildlife, conserve water, reduce pesticide and fertilizer use. Plenty of helpful ideas are spread throughout this book. They include tips on planting to reduce your home's energy use, which plants provide shelter, food and homes for wildlife, creating water ponds, and adding edibles for human consumption, too.

The tables include lists of: canopy trees, small trees, large shrubs, small shrubs, ground covers, palms, vines, native grasses, wildflowers, pond plants, ferns, plants for full sun and deep shade, plants for poorly and well-drained sites, and salt-tolerant plants.

Bottom line: Someone who wants to attract wildlife, and reduce their landscape's maintenance and water requirements will benefit from the information contained in this book.

If you're interested, please check out the "wild" area in my garden that this book helped me create.

Spotted Bee Balm - Native Wildflower

If you want to include Florida native wildflowers in your garden then Spotted Bee Balm Monarda punctata is one to include on your "must-have" list. Also, known as Horsemint, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the mint family, and is a favorite of local bees and other pollinators.

The Bee Balm in my garden grows into a  large clump 4' tall and 4' wide, similar to many sages that grow in Florida. It sports clusters of very attractive light lavender flowers, and blooms in late summer through fall. It then sets seeds that the birds dearly love, and in the following spring you'll find Bee Balm sprouting in unexpected places.  Don't panic! While it is self-seeding it does not do so aggressively. In my garden the plant dies back in winter and returns in spring. The leaves have a fragrance similar to spearmint and can be used to make tea with either fresh or dried leaves.

Culture:

Moisture: This plant is drought-tolerant but may need some water during excessively dry periods.

Light:  It blooms best when it receives full sun, but will tolerate partial shade. 

Propagation:  Start from seeds or divide root clumps.

 Care:  Plant in spring. You can fertilize if you like with a 10-10-10 mix, but it's really carefree and low-maintenance. It's ability to tolerate sea spray makes it a good choice for seaside gardens.

Wildlife:  Attracts many bees and other pollinators. Birds eat the seeds in winter.

Spotted Bee Balm is one of the showiest and prettiest Florida wildflowers. It looks especially good when planted toward the back of a perennial garden where it adds some height to the garden bed. You can purchased Spotted Bee Balm from a local native plant grower or a Master Gardener Plant sale, which is where I found mine.

If you've grown this native wildflower in your garden, please share your experience with all of us in our comments section. And, for more information on creating a "Bee Friendly" garden click here.

Kudos to Stetson University

This old and beautiful 174-acre university in Deland is going "native!" The Stetson University's Native Plant Initiative is slowly, but surely transforming the flora on campus into native species. Their Web site includes lists (with plant requirements) of the native palms, trees, shrubs, wildflowers, vines and groundcovers they are planting. Also, is a list of references and links, plus a slide show of 10 landscape photos. Check it out, and see for yourself what a beautiful job they are doing. Hopefully, more universities, homes, shopping centers and office complexes will follow their example. Great Job!

"Gimme Green" - Documentary on our Obsession with Lawns
In a recent article published by the Gainesville Sun, two University of Florida Documentary Institute graduates (Isaac Brown and Eric Flagg) have created a documentary on American's obsession with lush lawns. The documentary airs on the Sundance Channel August 28, 29, 31 and September 2.

This documentary is being featured at Paynes Prairie Reserve (just south of Gainesville), which is in the process of "Going Native" to reduce their need for water and maintenance. For a list of suggested native plants visit Florida Wildflower Foundation.