New Beginnings: Creating a Garden that Attracts Wildlife
New Beginnings
Creating a Garden that Attracts Wildlife
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I can’t think of a better time to design and dream about transforming an outdoor space. I am excited to be a student in my own e-course; Teaching in the Dirt: Designing Outdoor Classroom and thrilled to have a platform for sharing my own garden transformation story with you.
In Module One: Getting Started, we are asked to walk around our outdoor space and choose a space in which we plan to transform. I have chosen a site in the corner of my backyard. This space is a bit of an eyesore. It was a “dump” for leaves and weeds and became a haphazard enormous compost pile. My “Before Video” exercise, taught me to zero in on one garden area and view this space as an outdoor room. Once I did this, I recognized features I could work with. The surrounding fence, rock wall with a nice opening, and a few trees all became possibilities. Take a peek:
January 1, 2015 Before video of my Outdoor Classroom
As we move through Module One: Getting Started we learn about 4 Types of Gardens. At this point we are invited to choose a type of garden. This exercise is to help us narrow down our focus, direction and energy. These gardens are:
- Gardens that Feed
- Gardens Rooted in Curriculum
- Gardens that Honor Intergenerational Connections
- Gardens that Attract Wildlife
I found this process to be incredibly helpful as it very quickly narrowed down my focus. The Take Action Now worksheets provided the guided questions I needed and led me to begin with designing a garden that attracts wildlife. With this main ingredient, I envision mixing and matching additional outdoor design elements.
In Module Two: Design Options, we explore many additional possibilities to add to our outdoor space. I am planning on certifying this garden and understand to do this I need specific features. This knowledge impacts my design choices. Gardens that Attract Wildlife require 5 key elements:
- Shelter
- Water
- Places to Raise Young
- Food
- Habitats
These required elements, alongwith, the guided questions has give me clarity in my own outdoor classroom design. As I revisited the e-course videos, I found myself drawing and doodling ideas as I watched and listened. Before I knew it, I had a beginning sketch.
I look forward to hearing your garden transformation story. Make a before video, take a picture of yourbeginningdrawing and share. Let’s celebrate these new beginnings in our virtual classroom. If you would like feedback, ideas, and comments on your chosen space…..jump in and send along what you have. I would be happy to work more closely with you.
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2 Comments
I definitely will be doing gardens that attract and support wildlife!
My pollinator garden is underway…
I have bat houses to hang in the nearby woods…
I have a natural cedar bird bath and feeder already set up…
I have planted and nurtured Persimmon,PapPaw and Pecan trees that specifically support deer, squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, etc. in the forest edge…
I have created pathways throughout the woods of the property and added brush around its borders to provide habitat for the above mentioned critters…
I just need to create a logical flow when providing field trips for groups to highlight these.
I have set meeting places with pine log benches to placed throughout the property…one under a canopy of cedars; another by the creek waterfall; another is already established with a fire pit made of stones from the property. A little s’mores and hot chocolate to finish off a fall field trip?!
So many ideas…so little time…
Sounds fabulous!! You can also get your Wildlife certified by the National Wildlife Federation! I will be doing the same.