During the first days of spring, many Northlanders find their green thumbs itching to plant the summer gardens. Not only can your backyard provide a seasonal burst of color and growth, but by using a few simple tips and techniques you can also transform your gardens into a wildlife haven.

Gardeners seeking to attract wildlife should consider what they can provide for wildlife in their gardens.

“All wildlife need food, water, and cover,” said Diane Booth of the Cook County University of Minnesota Extension Office. “As part of that cover piece, they also need a place to raise their young. If I want to attract butterflies, I need to spend some time thinking about which specific plants caterpillars are going to eat and which ones adult butterflies eat. Often they’re different plant species.”

Typically, gardeners focus on planting nectar flowers known to draw butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. That’s important said Booth, but gardeners should also consider planting less showy plants such as milkweed, clover, or pussy willow for caterpillars to feed on. In addition, gardeners need to make sure their garden retains a sampling of native plants.

“Our wildlife are natives and used to native plants,” said Booth.

For Bees, Butterflies & Hummingbirds:

Bee balm, alyssum, lobelia, lupine, shasta daisy, borage, marigolds, verbena, cosmos, zinnia, nicotiana, nemesia, pansy, viola, and petunias. — Thanks to Maureen Willson of Borderline Daisy in Schroeder

Minnesota Gardeners Info University of Minnesota extension offices: •St. Louis County: 218-733-2870 •Lake County: 218-834-8377 •Cook County: 218-387-3015 •www.extension.umn.edu/gardeninfo/

Ontario Gardeners Info •www.mgoi.ca/ •www.tbmastergardeners.homestead.com/

Rather than cultivating a garden with tidy rows ascending in height, Booth said it’s better for gardens to have a jumble of varying plant heights to provide wildlife shelter. She suggested planting a variety of shrubs, large trees, and perennials to give birds and wildlife a place to sit and hide. Houses for butterflies, birds and toads and feeders for birds and deer can be incorporated into garden landscapes for even more wildlife visitors.

“Limit your lawn area,” Booth said. “A lawn is really a dead zone for wildlife. Mice are taking their lives in their own hands when they cross a lawn, and birds are too.”

Booth said planting native berries such as juneberries, chokecherries, and dogwood, as well as raspberries, blueberries and strawberries will increase backyard bird visitors. Young aspen trees attract bunnies and the cones of spruce and balsam fir appeal to deer. Native bees are fond of buckwheat, pussy willow, clovers, dandelions and high bush cranberries.

In addition to food, gardeners should consider providing wildlife with a water source. While bird baths are nice, Booth said a water feature such as a dripping fountain has even more appeal to wildlife.

“Where water is moving is really attractive to wildlife,” said Booth.

She also suggested having a muddy area where butterflies can gather to drink the water rich in minerals and nutrients.

Cats and dogs often deter wildlife and Booth cautioned against using pesticides.

The best way to keep wildlife away from portions of your garden you hope to harvest yourself is to erect fencing, said Booth, but she also warned that having the fruits of your labor chomped on by other critters is simply part of gardening in the Northland.

“If you’re trying to attract wildlife, you have to be able to tolerate wildlife interfering with how you want your garden to grow,” said Booth.