Our flower gardens are looking
tired. Crape myrtles are winding down. Soon our lawns will be strewn with
colorful fall leaves. It seems that the gardening season is practically over. But the truth is, fall is actually an
excellent time for gardening. Although things above ground may appear to be at
a standstill, there is much activity below. The soil is still warm, and given
enough moisture, roots are growing. Fall is a wonderful time for planting, as
it gives trees and shrubs a chance to get established before the cold of
winter. This fall, why not enhance your landscape by adding some native plants
that will attract and support wildlife in your yard? Rowan Public Library has
all kinds of books to guide you in making your landscape more
wildlife-friendly.
You don’t have to have lots of
space to create a habitat for wildlife. In Natural
Gardening in Small Spaces, Noel Kingsbury shows us that even in a small
garden you can create a sustainable ecosystem that creates a haven for wildlife.
Kingsbury advocates a “balance between ornamental elements and a certain amount
of ‘letting go’” in order to achieve a successful natural garden whether you live
in the country, suburbs, or city. With advice on shady gardens, backyard
grasslands, and dry habitats, Kingsbury helps you create a wildlife-friendly
design for your landscape.
Many of us have birdfeeders in
our yards, but if you really want to make your yard inviting to the songbirds,
think about the habitat you offer. Are your trees suited for nesting and
perching? Do you have shrubs to provide hiding places and plants that provide
seeds and attract insects? Birds in Your Backyard: a Bird Lover’s guide
to Creating a Garden Sanctuary by Robert J. Dolezal, tells you how plan
your garden to offer food, water, protection, shelter, and nesting locations.
The plant guide will help you choose plants that are most attractive to desired
species, with suggestions for flowering plants, ground covers, vines,
ornamental grasses, shrubs, and small trees.
Before you head to the garden
center, take some time to peruse Bringing
Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens, by Douglas
W. Tallamy. Concerned about the aggressive nature of alien plant species and
the decline of native wildlife, Tallamy makes a compelling argument for
planting native plant species to provide a welcoming environment for wildlife
of all kinds. He explains how gardening with natives can create plantings that
will stay beautiful and in balance without the use of pesticides. His basic
message is simple: “By favoring native plants over aliens in the suburban
landscape, gardeners can do much to sustain the biodiversity that has been one
of this country’s richest assets.”
Other titles that you may enjoy
include Wildlife at Your Back Door: How
to Create a Haven for Nature’s Friends by Sharon Amos and The National Wildlife Federation’s Guide to
Gardening for Wildlife written by Craig Tufts and Peter Loewer. Come to
Rowan Public Library for these and many other gardening guides.
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