Attractive Flowers To Animals

While many gardeners try their hardest to control the amount of animals and insects entering and using their garden, you can plant a wildlife garden that actually encourages animals to visit. It is a great way to experience nature, and you can do it in your own backyard.

A wildlife garden doesn't have to be an unkempt, overgrown space, nor does it have to be large.

• Certain flowers can attract animals more than your basic garden.

• They add interest to your surroundings.

• Helps wildlife survive.
  

• Gives the gardener a different perpective; gardening is not just for looks, but to enjoy wildlife and nature.
  

Remember one key thing if you're considering growing a wildlife garden: the spot where your home and yard now resides was once a natural habitat where wildlife thrived. Try to mimic the real thing as much as possible by creating variety in your garden (i.e. shallow and deep water areas, shade and sun and varying trees, plants and flowers that attract animals). Trees are a must in any wildlife garden. They provide shade and shelter for a variety of animals living in the garden.

Plants That Attract Butterflies
Butterfly caterpillars enjoy a restricted range of plants to feed on. These plants include meadow grasses and other plants like nettles and violets.

Adult butterflies enjoy feeding from flowers that provide lots of nectar. Flowers that attract animals like butterflies are hemp agrimony, sedum, marjoram, lavendar, valerian and knapweeds.

Butterflies, especially Monarchs, love watermelon. Next time you're enjoying a fresh slice of the juicy fruit, leave some in your garden to attract some beautiful butterflies.

Unfortunately, the butterfly population is beginning to dwindle, with more than 20 species in the United States alone considered to be endangered. Butterflies are vulnerable to pesticides, and urban growth is also causing their population to be depleted.

Plants That Attract Birds
Within your wildlife garden, try not to deadhead the flowers that are about to seed. Once flowers begin to seed, birds will be attracted to them to feed from. Some flowers that attract animals like birds are cornflower, evening primrose, sunflower, forget-me-not, thistles and many common weeds.

Try attracting more exotic birds like great spotted woodpeckers and sparrows with the red hot poker flower, whose nectar is extra appealing to the flying creatures. Sparrows also enjoy sage leaves, which they bring back to use in their nests.

If you still need help deciding which plants to grow in your wildlife garden to attract animals, remember this: any plant that is good for insects is good for birds. Growing plants will attract insects, which in turn attract birds.

You can be creative about what bird feed you choose to put in your garden. Always avoid salted foods like salted peanuts and chips. This dehydrates the birds and is bad for them. Some common birdseed, good for any garden, is:

• Peanuts- attract starlings, sparrows and greenfinches

• Sunflower Seeds- attract greenfinches

• Mealworms/Waxworms- good during breeding season for robins, wrens and thrushes

• Sugar Water- great for attracting hummingbirds

Feeding Wildlife
A bird table, which can be purchased at any garden store, is good for attracting birds to your garden. Make sure you place the table where you can see it clearly but where it won't be regularly disturbed.

Birdhouses, or nestboxes, are also good for attracting birds to your garden. Make sure you don't face the nestbox in the south or west directions. This puts the young birds in danger of high winds and overheating in the sun. The best time to clear out a nestbox is in the autumn. You can also try creating nestboxes for other types of wildlife, such as hedgehogs. The key is to finding out the specific needs of the animal and then being creative.

Animal owners, especially cat owners, can tie a bell to their pet's collar so any wildlife can be warned when the animal is nearby.

Planting native trees and flowers that attract animals native to your area will yield the best results. Talk to someone at your local greenhouse or gardening center to help you choose the most suitable plants and flowers that attract animals in your area.