How to Attract Wildlife to Your Outdoor Space

Although growing plants in deck rail planters brighten your patio, it might not make the space inviting enough for wildlife. If you want to make your garden much more appealing to native species, you’re probably wondering what steps you can take. In this article, we’ll share tips and tricks that make your outdoor space more habitable to the wildlife in your environment. 

1. Plant Native Plants

Although ornamentals are great for your garden or patio, you should consider planting native trees, flowers, or grasses. Not only will they flourish, but they also provide the best shelter and forage for wildlife. Ornamental flowers and other plants might provide food and shelter, but they won’t thrive in your climate. 

If you don’t have enough open space, you can opt for deck rail planters, which are perfect for growing various species.

1. Provide Ample Water

Add a full-blown pond to your outdoor space if you have enough space available. A pond with an aeration pump, even a fish pond, will attract wildlife of all kinds. However, this takes a lot of work to maintain because of the need to oxygenate the pond. Therefore, opt for something simple like a bird bath if you can’t maintain a pond. It works excellently to attract birds, chipmunks, insects, and more. 

1. Provide Shelter for Wildlife

Growing native plants in your deck rail planters can help provide shelter for wildlife. However, you can go the extra mile by creating nooks and crannies for other wildlife animals. Let your outdoor décor lean towards a more wildlife-friendly route. An example is placing nesting boxes or birdhouses in your outdoor space. You can also create insect habitats to encourage insects to nest and proliferate.

1. Consider Birdfeeders 

Although planting native plants will provide forage for most wildlife species, you can also consider adding a birdfeeder to attract more birds to your outdoor space. Birdfeeders nourish birds and other small wildlife like chipmunks and squirrels, especially in the cold, harsh months.

1. Let the Grass Grow

You can also let the grass grow a bit higher in your home to attract wildlife. Doing this will create more habitat for ground-dwelling insects and animals. Additionally, cutting back on landscaping will ease your bills.

Conclusion

These tips, especially growing native plants in deck rail planters, will keep the wildlife coming into your outdoor space. However, limiting the opportunity for pests to thrive is also essential. These tips will not only attract native life, but they could also bring in unwanted visitors. Don’t leave food or garbage out; keep your home or office space fully sealed to prevent pests from getting in.