What do you plant in your yard to attract the various critters that live in your area?




We live in one of the newer developments in Florida and we have a very small yard. Luckily our yard is on a conservation lot, which means we have a small retention pond in our backyard as well as a nice wooded area. We get deer, otters, raccoons, armadillos, oppossums, squirrels and bobcats visiting our yard as well as a huge variety of birds, butterflies and other wild things. Last year I had our yard certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a Wildlife Habitat. We try to make sure that we have plants to attract almost all and provide fresh water for everyone. The sign pictured has a coral honeysuckle climbing up and around it, which the hummingbirds really like.

With almost 7 acres we leave the 4 acres over the hill wild, there is a creek so we are lucky to have a natural water source.We have the normal wildlife including deer and beaver. I sometimes have issues with the beaver and have had to wrap a few trees along the creek bank with hard cloth wire.

In the garden I have left mulberry trees for food , they seem to be much appreciated because there are always bird and squirrel territory fights going on. The mulberries also save the strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries for me

When we cut brush we leave piles for the rabbits and birds.

My compost is far enough from the house many of the food scraps get eaten. It is corn season here and the cobs are often found in the yard in the morning.

Most of the flowers are butterfly/hummingbird friendly and I always have a stand of sunflowers.

I am working to turn my lot into a butterfly, hummingbird, bee garden. I already have the birds coming in to the feeder.

I will need to break down my butterfly/hummingbird garden next spring. It got way out of hand and now looks nothing like I imagined. In any case, the birds, butterflys and hummingbirds like it.

Mine will look like a jungle but I do not care.

American Beauty Berry bush.....just starting to turn purple and getting ready for the birds and critters this winter. This is such a pretty bush! It has tiny white flowers in the spring, then the berries start to form and by fall are a wonderful purple color, adding interest to your winter landscape.

I have a huge one that is in a pot, know that the roots after this much time run into there ground. But it is so happy I am afraid to move it.

I didn't do anything to attract these critters, they just showed up today... Happily, they waited until the big dogs were inside. Zoe the italian greyhound was curious, but has no prey drive (thank goodness).







However, to answer the question in the original post -- I have a couple brush piles, a butterfly garden, a lot of native plants, a fair amount of berry-producing plants, and I've stopped using pesticides other than putting amdro directly on fire-ant mounds.

I have sunflowers, lots of salvia and a few other members of this family, Waterlilies, Butterfly bushes, a number of different kinds on milkweed. a number of different kinds of native hibiscus, 3 kinds of Dutchman's Pipe vine. Also honeysuckle/red, 3 passion vines and a lot of other stuff for the butterfles.

Mary,

Those bunnies are so adorable! I love the bunnies when they come into the yard here! We have two domestic bunnies (mini lops) that we keep in the house.

Thanks for sharing your pic!

We don't get bunnies in our yard. I think it's because the bobcat likes to check out the birds at the feeder and the ducks on the pond fairly often.

Help needed with ridding Rabbits and voles!

Is there anything new and truly amazing to keep rabbits and voles away from the garden? Any and all remedies short of shooting the animals will be considered and accepted with gratitude. Thanks in advance for any advice.

- Ravi in Denver

I have the same problem, Ravi. I've tried just about all of the known products. They get used to most of them. I think high, sturdy fencing is about the only real solution. We are starting to do a fenced in area using horse fencing, but we'll have to line the lower section with stuff to keep rabbits out. Deer, rabbits and javelinas are our worst critters.

plantmanager said:I have the same problem, Ravi. I've tried just about all of the known products. They get used to most of them. I think high, sturdy fencing is about the only real solution. We are starting to do a fenced in area using horse fencing, but we'll have to line the lower section with stuff to keep rabbits out. Deer, rabbits and javelinas are our worst critters.

Deer are my worst enemies. I can't grow anything in the front yard. So far, they have never jumped the backyard fence. If they do, they will find wire meshes to break legs and spikes where they like to land the next night!