Last week I was at the Ecology Park with Cathy Dueck and Steve Guthrie from CHEX-TV. Once again it was time to shoot the Green Update segment that airs on CHEX-TV’s Newswatch at 5:30 show every Monday. We managed to squeeze it in between raindrops and nobody got wet.

Cathy and I chatted about how to bring birds, butterflies, and other wildlife to your garden and the advantages of having them there. Who knew that having these creatures in your yard could be so beneficial?!

Inviting birds not only will allow you to enjoy the beauty of their plumage and song, but they also will make your out door experience that much better by keeping the insect population under control. Less mosquitoes to bite is something that few would complain about.

Like humans, birds require food and shelter so providing those two basic elements will ensure flocks of feathered friends to enjoy.  Food can come in the form of bird feeders or native plants the produce berries.  Shelter for birds is easy to provide as well. Simple birdhouses provide a home to raise young and can also act as shelter from the elements. Water is something to consider as well.  Providing a source to drink and bathe from is an ideal draw for birds to a backyard. A water feature can be as simple as a container buried slightly and covered with rocks to something as elaborate as a small pond with flowing water.

Hummingbirds are important pollinators and are attracted with flowers that are rich in nectar.  Hummingbird feeders also draw in the tiny winged creatures to your home.

Bringing insects into the garden can also be important.  Some insects such as ladybugs are beneficial.  Many caterpillars that call our gardens home eventually turn into beautiful butterflies which, like hummingbirds, slip nectar from garden flowers.

By inviting birds, butterflies and other insects into our garden, we encourage a healthy garden and more diverse ecosystem.