q       Is your garden welcoming to wildlife?  Imagine a black swallowtail butterfly flitting from bloom to bloom, or a flock of goldfinches swarming around a patch of Purple Coneflower.  The antics and beauty of many animals are a joyful addition to a garden - and of course, many birds eat large numbers of insects. Luckily, most of the plants attractive to wildlife are also attractive to gardeners!  In addition to bringing you & your family and friends pleasure, wild critters are an important part of a healthy ecosystem - even if only the microcosm of your back yard.

      That said, there is certainly wildlife most folks want to encourage, such as birds and butterflies, and wildlife that most of us would rather discourage, such as deer and groundhogs, at least from our immediate surroundings.

      Keep in mind the basic elements necessary for creating a haven for birds and butterflies: food, water, nesting and hiding sites.  Food - flowers, berries, seeds & leaves - should be available as much of the year as possible.  Water can be a birdbath or a pond of any size.  Nesting and hiding sites are provided by trees and shrubs - the more of these and the less lawn, the better.  Once you have succeeded in attracting these wonderful friends, do not drive them away (or worse - sicken or kill them) by using chemicals in your garden.  I always encourage people to use organic gardening methods - but when designing a wildlife garden for someone, I insist on it.

      Following is a short list of plants to consider.  For a more complete list, contact your cooperative extension agent, a local wild bird store or pick up one of the many books on wildlife gardening.

Trees