Our backyards are more than just outdoor spaces; they are opportunities to connect with nature. As homeowners, we have the power to create thriving ecosystems in our yards. Connecting with nature in your own backyard can have a positive impact on your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Time In Nature Brings Health Benefits
Spending time in a natural environment, even a small backyard, can reduce stress and promote relaxation. The sights and sounds of nature, from birdsong to rustling leaves, can have a calming effect on the mind. Connecting with nature has also been linked to improved mental well-being. It can alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety, boost mood, and increase feelings of happiness. Many people find that spending time outdoors inspires fresh ideas and innovative thinking and boosts creativity and problem-solving. Here are some tips you can use to attract and connect with nature in your yard:
Make Your Yard A Natural Sanctuary
The wildlife that may live in your outdoor spaces can vary widely depending on your location, the type of habitat you provide, and the natural surroundings in your area. Attracting colorful birds, butterflies, and other helpful wildlife to your backyard requires creating a safe, hospitable environment that provides food, shelter, and suitable breeding grounds.
Plant Colorful Flowers
Selecting the right plants is key to attracting wildlife to your backyard. Choose a variety of brightly colored flowers, especially those with red, orange, yellow, and purple hues, as these colors are attractive to both birds and butterflies. Select nectar-rich flowers such as zinnias, coneflowers, bee balm, salvia, and butterfly bush to attract butterflies. For birds, consider flowers that produce seeds, like sunflowers, black-eyed Susans, and cosmos.
Install Bird Feeders
Investigate which birds are native to or migrate through your area and provide the types of food they enjoy. Offer a variety of bird feeders that appeal to colorful birds, such as cardinals, finches, and bluejays. Sunflower seeds and safflower seeds are generally popular choices but some species of birds prefer thistle, peanuts, or suet. Consider adding specialized liquid feeders to attract tiny hummingbirds, who need high-calorie nectar to sustain them on their migration path each year. Especially during the colder months of the year, birds that winter in your area will appreciate an ongoing source of food and visit your feeders often.
Landscape With Natural Food Sources
Consider adding plants and shrubs to your yard that produce fruits and berries. Fruit tree varieties like apple, cherry, and pear produce fruit that is attractive to many bird species. Berry-producing shrubs like viburnum, holly, and elderberry can provide a natural food source for birds, butterflies, and other small animals.
Offer Water Sources
Water is essential for all living creatures, and having a reliable water source in your backyard can attract a myriad of wildlife. Birds need a clean and reliable source of water for drinking and bathing. A birdbath or a shallow dish with fresh water will attract a wide variety of feathered friends to your yard. Be sure to clean and refill it regularly. Other small animals like squirrels and chipmunks may also visit your birdbath for a quick drink. Making fresh water available is especially important during winter months when temperatures can drop below freezing and water sources may be frozen solid.
Provide Shelter
Installing birdhouses or nesting boxes can encourage cavity-nesting birds like bluebirds, chickadees, and woodpeckers to make your yard their home. Other birds will find shelter in your trees and shrubs, where they will roost and nest. Make sure to research specific requirements for different species and place the boxes at the appropriate height and orientation. Watching birds raise a family in your yard can be a very enjoyable and educational experience. By adding bat houses to your outdoor areas, you can encourage bats to visit your yard and help control mosquitos and other pesky insect populations. Consider providing shelter for beneficial insects like bees and butterflies, who will come to bee houses and butterfly shelters in your yard.
What About Unwelcome Guests?
Depending on where you live and the nature of the area surrounding your yard, you may find that larger animals like deer are attracted to your outdoor spaces. Deer can do significant damage to your plants, trees, and foliage and can often be found in traditionally urban areas. Keeping deer away from your outdoor spaces can be challenging. However, there are several strategies you can employ to deter deer from entering your property and damaging your garden, landscaping, and plants.
Fencing is one option to prevent deer from coming into your yard, but this is not always a viable solution. While no plant is entirely deer-proof, you may be able to change out some of your plants for species like lavender, yarrow, daffodils, and thorny shrubs like barberry that are less appealing to deer. Besides covering your plants during the times that deer typically feed, you can also apply deer repellents to your plants, which either emit odors that deer don’t like or make the plants they do eat taste bad.
Recently, there have been reports that installing tall lawn stakes at least 12 inches away from your planted areas with clear fishing line strung between them can be an effective deterrent. Deer don’t see well up close, so when they feel the fishing line as they approach your plants they cannot see what touched them and become frightened and run away.
Be Patient
Creating a wildlife-friendly backyard is an ongoing process. It may take time for animals to discover and utilize the resources you provide. Be patient and enjoy the gradual transformation of your backyard into a haven for nature. Our backyards have the potential to become vital sanctuaries for wildlife, offering refuge in an increasingly urbanized world. By implementing these tips, homeowners can connect with and protect the natural world right outside their doors.
Make Your Outdoor Space Your Favorite Place
Create a relaxing place to connect with nature in your backyard to reduce stress and promote relaxation. Would you like to speak with a backyard specialist? Click here to call now and talk about your outdoor questions or challenges. The knowledgeable, friendly professionals at Yardsy are here to make sure that your outdoor living spaces are always beautiful and ready to be enjoyed. Our relentless focus on excellent customer service and dedicated team of lawn care professionals set us apart from other big-box lawn care providers. Experience the Yardsy difference today.
