Wildlife Gardening: 5 Ways to Attract More Animals to Your Garden

Wildlife gardening makes your backyard come to life with the native critters in your area.

Attracting your favourite animals, from kookaburras to koalas to dragonflies, comes down to creating an environment that makes them feel safe and offers the basic things they need. That includes food, water, and shelter.

Strategic plant choices help attract wildlife to gardens. The way you arrange the elements in your garden can make it more appealing. Even the ways you care for gardened and landscaped areas impact the amount of wildlife you attract.

Use these tips for attracting more animals to your garden.

1. Use Native Plants

Native plants naturally attract more of the local wildlife in your area. It creates a more natural environment that animals are used to in the wild. The plants can provide the type of food and shelter the animals need.

Native plants use less water because they're suitable for your climate. They also resist damaging insects with fewer pesticides and grow better without fertilizer. This helps conserve water, minimises the use of chemicals, and makes your garden more environmentally friendly.

Pick drought-tolerant plants to keep your garden looking great during dry spells. Acacia, Correa, and grevillea are good choices.

2. Garden for All Seasons

An ideal garden for wildlife offers flowering plants, greenery, and cover for the longest growing season possible. Short-lived flowers only provide pollen and nectar temporarily. The bees, butterflies, and other insects that use the pollen and nectar come to expect that source, only to have it end quickly.

Growing a mix of plants creates a longer-lasting environment for wildlife. Choose long-blooming and growing plants. If you use shorter-lived options, mix them in with plants that last longer so there's always some type of food and shelter.

3. Incorporate Water

A water source in your garden provides wildlife with fresh water, which is especially helpful during times of drought. Water is also appealing to frogs and similar wildlife that like to be in or around water.

A birdbath is an easy way to incorporate a small source of water into your garden. Water is attractive to many bird species, including willie wagtails and fantails.

Keep the container full, as the wildlife will return when they know it's there and grow to rely on it. You can also fill a small pot or tray for animals on the ground.

Another option is to create a small pond in your backyard. This allows you to grow aquatic plants, which can offer a habitat for water-loving wildlife, such as frogs. A sloping side in the pond makes it easier for animals to climb in and out of the pond. 

4. Provide Protection

Planting areas of different heights and types provide adequate shelter for various wildlife. A natural area with taller grass or wildflowers that you don't prune may be more attractive to wildlife than manicured areas.

Incorporate trees and shrubs, especially dense prickly shrubs, to create natural shelter for animals. Deadwood, sticks, leaves, and similar ground cover are all beneficial shelter types.

If you have a large backyard, gum trees may help attract native koalas and birdlife. Protect large native trees in your backyard to provide them with safety. 

Nesting boxes provide additional shelter in your backyard. Bats, birds, and other animals may take up residence in the boxes. Position them at least 4 metres off the ground to keep them away from predators.

5. Garden Naturally

Harsh, chemical pesticides can be dangerous to wildlife. Controlling weeds and garden pests naturally keeps your garden healthy without unwanted effects on wildlife, beneficial insects, and the environment.

Hand weeding and mulching your gardens keep unwanted growth under control. Using leaf mulch provides kookaburras and other birdlife with a source of food, including worms, insects, and lizards.

Organic pest control options help keep harmful insects out of your garden without hurting the beneficial bugs and other wildlife.

Practice Wildlife Gardening

Simple changes to your gardening practices can invite more of nature into your backyard. Wildlife gardening provides a safe place for animals, protects the environment, and brings you enjoyment.

Check out our animal-themed garden art to enjoy wildlife in your backyard anytime. Contact us if you have any questions or want more information.