by Snow Vandemore

Created on: July 25, 2009   Last Updated: July 27, 2009

Attracting wildlife isn't all that difficult and can actually be very rewarding. How and what to plant to bring nature to your back door requires a bit of planning, some elbow grease and a little patience.

There are four requirements that must be met in order for animals to "arrive, survive and thrive": food, water, cover and a place to raise their young. By remembering these four elements and incorporating them into your plantings - in no time, your yard will be brimming with a variety of creatures for you and your family to enjoy for hours on end.

1. Food. There are many different type of perennial plants native to your area that offer some type of food source.

Native plants (plants that are well-adapted to survive according to geographica area's climate, soils, and precipitation. As such, they generally do well in their particular area and require little or no special care.

Look for the following features when selecting a native plant for your habitat: berries, nectar, nuts, fruit, sap, seeds, pollen. The more variety you provide, the more diverse a group of animals you will be able to attract.

To get you started off in the right direction, visit the National Wildlife Federation's website, where you can find out the top ten native plants in your specific area by clicking on their interactive map of the United States.

2. Water. Although plants themselves do not typically provide a water source, it is important to locate a supply of fresh water near your plantings to provide adequate cover while animals hydrate themselves. Place bird baths near bushes, trees, or large groups of tall flowers or grasses. Be sure to change the water frequently, especially during the hot summer months when mosquitos are breeding. Consider installing an inexpensive heater designed specifically for birth baths for the winter months when the temperatures dip below freezing to keep the water open and accessible.

3. Cover. If animals don't feel safe in the environment you create for them, they won't stay around. Predators, people and bad weather are constant threats to an animal's well-being. They need a place to hide to feel safe and protected. That's were planting effective wildlife cover areas comes into play.

Usually, the more dense (thick) the cover area, the better. Native bushes that create their own thickets, such as native plum and chokecherry bushes, are ideal for this purpose. Try planting a few in a corner of your yard and watch them multiply. As an added bonus, these types of native plants also provide a food source such as berries and fruits.

Native grasses and flower plants arranged in clumps or groupings will also provide much needed cover for small birds and animals.

4. A place to raise their young. Just like us, animals need safe, comfortable places to reproduce, have their babies and raise their young. The proper plants placed in strategic areas can provide these zones where wildlife can go about the business of creating and raising their families.

The cover areas described above will generally be sufficient in serving double duty as these "safe zones" where wildlife can raise their young relatively undisturbed. Dense thickets consisting of native bushes, shrubs or grasses, brush piles and dead tree logs may not necessarily be very attractive, but they are a necessary feature of your overall planting scheme to attract and keep wildlife coming year after year.

By planting specific native plants to attract wildlife to your yard, you will not only be beautifying your landscape, but you will also be providing a much-needed sanctuary for local wildlife to congregate, feed, raise their young and live in relative safety.

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