We view our gardens as a world of our own – very personal and special. What we sometimes forget is that it’s part of a larger world, a larger ecosystem in dire need of diversity. Biodiversity is essential for sustenance of life as we know it, but shrinking natural habitats along with production-specific agricultural practices have led to its depletion. We can help by looking beyond the seasonal treands to add diversity to our gardens! Here are some easy ways you can grow more diverse and help increase biodiversity…
Choose your flowering bulbs wisely
The different species and number of pollinators present in a region is a clear indicator of its biodiversity. Look to include flowering bulbs that produce large amounts of nectar and pollen into your gardening plans. Plants like Dutch iris, crocosmia and gladiolus are just some of the many stunning pollinator friendly varieties you can add to your summer garden.
Make room for native plants
Native plants tend to be the easiest to grow and require little more than the right conditions. These are the plants your native insect, bird and animal species were naturally programmed to draw nutrition from them – bringing them back will directly help the wildlife. Plants like bee balm, coneflowers, phlox and yarrow are all well suited to different garden styles, wonderful choices for your new, more diverse garden.
Make a few simple changes
Diversifying your garden and enriching biodiversity can seem like a complex task, it’s really not. You don’t have to do a lot of research, make any big adjustments, little changes will suffice! Replace chemical fertilizers and pesticides that can harm pollinators and wildlife with environmental benign solutions. Adding a small log pile to a shaded part of garden, little piles of stones at the back of the borders or sheds won’t make any noticeable difference to the way your garden looks, but will offer shelter to caterpillars, hibernating insects and small amphibians. A pond will be an awesome addition, a small dish that provides drinking water to birds and bees will do just fine too!
A more diverse garden is inherently more intriguing, wherein the right mixing and matching of plants can significantly improve the garden’s overall health along with the success of your gardening endeavors.
