You don’t have to be a Disney Princess to frolic with wildlife. You can look out your back window and watch rabbits hopping across your yard or squirrels scurrying up trees. 

Even stroll through your yard and follow a butterfly as it flits from blossom to blossom or a cardinal sitting in one of your shrubs. Before you invest in magical princess powder, we will go over what plants attract small mammals and feathered friends.

Where to Begin When Creating a Wildlife Habitat

Native = Naturally Attractive to Wildlife

Generally, you want to look for native species. That is what wildlife has enjoyed in the past, and what they will be looking for in the future. And natives will often grow the best with less work on your part.

Create a Year-Long Source of Food

As you pick out things to plant, look for things that bloom and go to seed at different times. This will allow birds, critters, and pollinators to have food throughout the spring, summer, and fall. 

You can also try to pick plants that have both blooms and seeds--a two-for-one type deal. For the widest variety and fullest wildlife buffet, add plants that will also provide greens, nuts, and berries to your landscape because this will bring a bigger variety of animals.

If you are willing to share, plant fruit and nut trees and berries around your yard. This will attract many small mammals and birds. You can also plant lettuce and greens as part of an edible landscape to attract rabbits. 

But remember, that you planted them to share, and don’t get too upset when you find bunnies feasting on your collard greens or birds in your cherry tree.

Don’t Forget to Provide Water & Shelter

Animals get thirsty too. If you don’t have a pond or stream, and not many yards have that luxury, add a birdbath or create a small water bog or pond. 

You will be surprised at the variety of feathered friends that will be making regular visits to your yard. And other animals that need a sip of water.

In addition to supplying food and drink, animals need a safe place to call “home.” The more bushes and evergreens that you have, the more places they can hide from predators. 

Brush piles can also be home to many small mammals. Maybe leave some of your yard uncut to give some of the small, furry animals a little more shelter when they forage. Many birds will build nests in your yard if you provide them with trees and shrubs.

What to Plant to Attract Wildlife

The combinations of wildlife-friendly plants are almost endless. They might not be right for all climates and all zones, so look through them and see what is right for your area and style:

• Blackberry and Raspberry: They are both a great choice. They have blossoms for pollinators and later in the season fruit that the local wildlife will share with you. They can also provide cover for small mammals.

• Butterfly Bush or Butterfly Weed: These plants live up to their names. They provide nectar for butterflies and a good place for them to lay their eggs because their caterpillars feed on the foliage.

• Buttonbush: This shrub is late-blooming, producing stunning white spherical clumps of blossoms. It provides food for pollinators as well as some of their larvae. They will also give cover to rabbits and other mammals. 

• Cherry: The cherry, along with other fruit-bearing trees, provides a host of flowers for the pollinators, and their fruit feeds squirrels, raccoons, and deer later in the summer.

• Coneflower: They are great for bees and butterflies. They will also attract birds, like goldfinches, that are looking for seeds come fall.

• Crabapple: While they might not be the most delicious for you, their blossoms and fruit attract pollinators and a wide variety of birds, along with deer and squirrels.

• Dogwood: There is a wide variety of dogwoods to choose from. Whatever you pick, you will have a profusion of blooms in the spring for pollinators and nice places for songbirds to nest and raise their young.

• Elderberry: They are often overlooked, but they have small, attractive blooms that will bring pollinators to your yard and fruit that birds love. Even larger mammals, like deer and elk, might show up to munch on the foliage. And don’t forget to go out and forage through the berries yourself, if the animals leave any for you.

• Hibiscus and Rose of Sharon: They are more common in warmer climates, and they come in a variety of colors. Pollinators, like butterflies and hummingbirds, love them because they have plentiful blooms. They are also good for providing cover for smaller animals as well.

• Honeysuckle: Don’t forget Honeysuckle while you are planning your landscape. It will attract a wide variety of insects as well as hummingbirds, many birds will find a home in its foliage.

• Goldenrod: This is a good choice because the blossoms are filled with both pollen and nectar, so they will attract a wide variety of pollinators.

• Lavender: Its purple blossoms will draw many pollinators, especially butterflies and bees. You can also use it in the kitchen.

• Lilacs: You know it is spring when you can smell the lilacs. Their blossoms are great for attracting butterflies, and many birds love nesting in their branches.  Their blooms last longer than most, so pick a color that you will like, and your animal friends will be happy to share.

• Milkweed: It is best known for its ability to attract monarch butterflies. Their blossoms are great for pollinators, the leaves feed caterpillars, and birds love the seeds.

Keep your wildlife happy!

Once you start feeding and watering the wildlife, they will come to depend on you and your garden to a certain extent. The more consistent you are, the more consistent they will be. 

So sow that little bit of extra work for them, and you will be able to reap hours of enjoyment as they hop, fly, and flutter around your home.