For many people, a backyard garden is a place to play, relax, and reflect. But for the plants and animals that live in our gardens, life is no picnic: amidst the carefully planted flowers and neatly clipped grass there lies a hidden world of hot romance, violence, and merciless competition.
The Home Gardener
Growing a garden with plenty of nooks and crannies for critters isn’t that difficult. So says the National Wildlife Federation’s Heather Carskaddan, who has helped create more than 20,000 wildlife-friendly yards through the group’s Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program. Read more…
Backyard Biodiversity
In addition to providing havens for wildlife, backyard gardeners can also play an important role in saving some plant varieties from extinction. Over the last few centuries, farmers and gardeners have given up many traditional food crop varieties in favor of new, hardier varieties that are easier to grow and ship. Read more…
Useful Gardening Information
- Tips on how to start your own butterfly garden, with links to a butterfly identification guide and the story of one man’s garden.
- Create a NWF certified wildlife habitat.
- Check out the Smithsonian Institute’s Garden Fest 2008.
- Learn how to protect your rare garden seeds at the Seed Saver’s Exchange.
- Practical advice from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency about green landscaping.
