This month’s container gardening blog carnival is about a topic that is near and dear to my heart: wildlife-supporting gardens. I first became interested in gardening after my 10-year-old self read a book about planting wildlife-friendly plants in suburban backyards. Attracting bees, hummingbirds, and the like is always a goal in my gardens. You certainly don’t have to be an elementary school kid to be delighted to find a lizard taking a nap in your fiber optic grass! The contributions to the carnival that I’ve linked to below are equally delightful and will inspire you to keep the local critters in mind as you fill your balcony with plants, bird baths, and feeders this year.
Be Kind to Honeybees When you Have to Spray Pesticides
Gen shares some great tips on reducing the impact of pesticides on honeybees. She shares which types of pesticides you should never use, which ones are only safe if you spray them at dawn or dusk (when bees are less active), and which ones won’t impact honeybees. You’ll definitely want to bookmark her post for future reference.
Growing Bird Houses, Bee Life Rafts, and Hummingbird Baths, Oh My!
Robin has been quite prolific when writing about the topic of wildlife gardening. She has shared practical advice for providing bee-safe watering holes in your garden. Robin has also written about growing your own birdhouse gourds. I never realized that the plants that produce those gourds have such pretty flowers until I saw her photos! Finally, is there anything cuter than a hummingbird taking a bath? Robin shares how she created a bird bath that hummers like.
If You Build It, They Will Come
Claire shares how she created a container garden that hummingbirds visit daily. She provides a list of plants she has noticed hummingbirds like and points out that you don’t have to use red or scented flowers to attract them.
Creating a Wildlife Sanctuary on a Balcony
Kathy writes about all sorts of tried and true ways to support wildlife. She shares plants that bees and butterflies love, and provides ideas for shelter and water that are easy to incorporate in a balcony garden.
To Attract Birds or Spiders, That is the Question…
You might think that the above photo is of a birdhouse. You’d be wrong, though. It’s home to more spiders than birds. Prue shares insights into how you can inadvertently attract something you’re not expecting when you ignore what you’ve read about creating a wildlife garden. But she also shares some interesting ideas for making small bird baths, so definitely check out her post!
