6 Mindful Maintenance Strategies That Delight Wildlife
June 2023. By JT Wilkinson: Our design+build team does a great job of creating habitats that attract wildlife and delight humans. Mindful maintenance amplifies the impact of these design choices. It’s so effective, it can even draw more wildlife into traditional landscapes. The too-good-to-be-true news? It may also mean less work for you!
Get Quiet
As a society, we’ve become accustomed to approaching our outdoor spaces as workplaces. Our teams enter them as we might enter an honored benefactor’s home. We avoid the roaring mowers, blowers and chain saws that would disturb our hosts. In the quiet of deadheading, structural pruning and sweeping, we listen. In the quiet, we learn where birds and bees nest, and which trees need support.
Leave Space
Our design+build team advocates giving plants space for growth – wildlife needs open space too. While we stan hardworking mulch, we don’t cover every un-planted inch with it. Plant roots need a little space from it to avoid root rot. This creates just-right space for quail, who like to nest on the ground with a some shrub shelter. Some native bees also need bare soil for their nests.
Be Patient
What is a pest? You and I may immediately think of aphids and thrips. Pesticides, insecticides and herbicides, on the other hand, may see you, me, our pets, kids, wildlife and monarch butterflies as pretty pesky too! It’s all point of view – lady bugs and birds see the things that make us say “Ew!” as a delicious snack.
Leave the Seeds
Of course we deadhead! We love sparking fresh blooms on sages and buckwheats. Still, more and more clients see the benefit of letting things take their course here and there. When we leave (particularly indigenous plant) seed heads, we hear more birdsong.
Sit with the Uncomfortable
To get the wildlife you want, it helps to get comfortable with those that may seem less appealing. Spiders can boost the ecological balance of a garden. They do the work of pesticides and insect repellants, helping you keep your garden free of scary toxic chemicals. Their webs also have a certain etherial, structural beauty that is completely appropriate to the season. Leaving them now may also help your Hummingbird Sage attract Hummingbirds, as webs are an important part of their nests.
Add Water
Everyone needs water – in just the right amount. Little creatures can be overwhelmed by a flowing fountain or a deep pond. We pay attention to providing varied levels of fresh water. When we are mindful, reverent, of the habitat we inhabit, wildlife rejoins us. Isn’t that worth doing a little less work?
