User:Pool Coping/sandbox

GOALS: 1. More detail on the different habitats created in wildlife gardens and their purpose. 2. Expansion on garden layout section. 3. Types of animals attracted to these gardens and their interactions with one another and with the plants. 4. If time remains, I would like to clean up existing information on the page already.

BELOW IS WHAT IS CURRENTLY ON THE PAGE

Wildlife Garden

A wildlife garden (or wild garden) is an environment that is attractive to various forms of wildlife such as birds, amphibians, reptiles, insects, mammals and so on. A wildlife garden will usually contain a variety of habitats that have either been deliberately created by the gardener, or allowed to self-establish by minimising maintenance and intervention.

Many organic gardeners are sympathetic to the philosophy of wildlife gardening, and will usually try to incorporate some aspects of the wild garden into their own plots in order to both act as a means of biological pest control, as well as for its value in promoting biodiversity and generally benefitting the wider environment.

Contents [hide] 1 Habitats 2 Choice of plants 3 Layout of Garden 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

REVISED:

A wildlife garden (or wild garden) is an environment created by a gardener that serves as a haven for surrounding wildlife. A wildlife garden contains a variety habitats that cater to native and local plants, birds, amphibians, reptiles, insects, mammals and so on. Establishing a garden environment that mimics surrounding wildlife allows for natural systems to interact and establish an equilibrium, ultimately minimizing the need for gardener maintenance and intervention.

Wildlife gardens can play an essential role in biological pest control, as well as for its value in promoting biodiversity, native plantings, and generally benefitting the wider environment.

Habitats

Wildlife gardens may contain a range of habitats:

ponds[1] to attract frogs, newts, toads, dragonflies, and birds nest boxes for birds, bats, and solitary bees, hedgehogs or certain insects log piles to provide shelter for insects, lizards, and slow worms plants that attract beneficial insects[2] including wildflower meadows, etc. a diverse supply of food (all year round) to attract and keep wildlife in the garden[3]

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Log pile – Preferably located in a shady area, a pile of logs is a sanctuary for insects and amphibians. The organic structure is a shelter for both protection and breeding. In addition to logs, garden debris may also be added around the garden to be used as a natural mulch, fertilizer, weed control, soil amendment, and habitat for arthropod predators (TALLAMY).

Bird feeding station and bird houses – A place for birds to eat and take shelter will increase the amount of birds in the garden. Not only will food and shelter increase the survival rate of birds, but it will also that the birds are healthy enough for a successful breeding season (bbowt). Birds play a key role in biological pest control.

Bug boxes – Offcuts of wood placed in a structure above ground provides an alternate place of shelter for insects.

Source of water – A water feature, such as a pond, in the garden has the potential to support a large biodiversity of wildlife. To maximize the amount of wildlife attracted to the water feature, it should consist of ranging depths. Shallow areas are used by birds to drink and insects/amphibians to lay eggs. Deeper areas provide habitat for aquatic insects and a place for amphibians or even fish to swim. (bbowt)  

Pollinating flowers – Flowers rich in nectar will attract bees and butterflies into the garden (2). Wildflower meadows are an alternative option for lawns in the garden and will serve as a sanctuary to pollinators.  However, pollinating plants should not be confused with plants suitable for butterfly breeding (TALLAMY).

Plant diversity – There should be a range of plant types in the garden to serve different specie habitats. A balance between ground cover, shrub, understory, and canopy species will allow different sized wildlife shelter that fits their needs.

Choice of Plants

Although some exotics may also be included, the wild garden will usually predominantly feature a variety of native species. Generally these will be a part of the pre-existing natural ecology of an area, but managed in a way that is enhanced rather than damaged by the process of cultivation.

As in other forms of gardening, aesthetics plays a central role in deciding what is 'right', but constraints regarding issues such as seed provenance also apply.

Wild gardens are by definition examples of water-wise gardening, as the natural species of any ecoregion or micro-climate are those optimal for local water supplies.

There are a few super-beneficial plants that bloom for a long time and yield abundant nectar and pollen, or bear fruit throughout the year. These plants, such as the Joe-Pye weed, wild figs (Ficus species), and Sandpaper Raisin (Grewia flavescens) support a whole community of beneficial insects and small vertebrates. Goldenrod is another example.

Essential to any true understanding of the wildlife gardening concept is an appreciation of the symbiotic relationships between plants and animals. This interdependence is the result of species evolving alongside of one another over millennia. When one wildlife gardens, one acts always in accordance with the idea of keeping plants that are native to the area preeminent in the garden. Exotics, though they may provide shelter or food, will not compete well with those plants the native animals have always depended upon, either for the nectar and fruits they bear, or the invertebrates they attract.

It is also a good idea to replicate a natural habitat (even if only partially) in the garden, especially if that habitat was the original vegetation of that area, before urbanisation erased it. A good example would be forest in England; Cape Flats fynbos in Cape Town, South Africa; or prairie in the middle USA.

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Although some exotics may also be included, the wild garden will usually predominantly feature a variety of native species. Generally these will be a part of the pre-existing natural ecology of an area making them easier to grow than most exotic species. Choosing to plant native in the garden comes with an array of benefits for both plant and animal diversity, especially the ability to support native insect and mushroom populations that have established balanced evolutionary relationships over thousands of years (CNPS).

Ornamental plants on the market tend to lead towards “pest-free” plants (TALLAMY) making it hard for native insects to adapt, ultimately reducing their food supply. Decreases in insect populations due to excessive ornamental planting will discourage bird populations from inhabiting the area.

Invasive species can always prove to be a problem in the garden due to the absence of natural predators and their ability to reproduce rapidly. Without any measures of control, invasive species can overtake native species in the garden. Addressing invasive plants can be done a variety of ways, however to ensure the least amount of damage to the surrounding ecosystem, it is best done by cutting down the plant followed by painting the stem with roundup (TALLAMY). The debris from the invasive species can be piled and used as a home for smaller critters.

Layout of Garden

There are four basic habitat types which should ideally be included in the garden to maximise the wildlife species that will occur in the garden: the Open Area, the Exclusion Area, the Canopy corridor and the Wetland.

The Open Area is the space of the garden where the area is relatively exposed as regard to other areas of the garden. In most cases this area comprises the lawn, although it may consist of low-growing groundcovers and annuals.

The Exclusion Area is more dense than the Open Area. Trees often are an important component of this area.

REVISED:

Section may be removed.

SOURCES:

1. Caldwell, Jeff. "Gardening With Natives for Wildlife." Yerba Buena Chapter, CNPS. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2016. <http://www.cnps- yerbabuena.org/gardens/gardening_with_natives.html>.
2. "Gardening for Wildlife." Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2016. <http://www.bbowt.org.uk/wildlife/gardening-wildlife>.
3. Perrone, Jane. "How to Make Your Garden Wildlife-friendly." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 22 May 2013. Web. 11 Apr. 2016. <http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/gardening-blog/2013/may/22/wildlife-garden-tips>.
4. "Planning and Creating a Wildlife-friendly Garden." The RSPB. N.p., 13 Oct. 2007. Web. 11 Apr. 2016. <http://www.rspb.org.uk/makeahomeforwildlife/advice/gardening/wildlife-friendly_garden.aspx>.
5. Tallamy, Douglas W. Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens. Portland, Or.: Timber, 2007. Print.