Audubon at Home

As our gardens emerge from layers of snow and ice, it’s hard to imagine that spring is just around the corner.  But now is the perfect time to start planning your spring gardening and thinking about replacing some of those damaged plants with native ones that can provide food and shelter for a host of wildlife.  Audubon Connecticut’s Audubon at Home program (http://ct.audubon.org/BirdSci_AAH.html) can provide you with a wealth of tips and recommendations to create a backyard sanctuary for wildlife while saving water and energy and reducing the use of pesticides that can harm children, pets and wildlife. 

Native plants are crucial to native wildlife, and vice versa. This co-dependence is the result of evolving together over millennia. Wildlife depends on native plants for food and shelter, while plants rely on wildlife for seed dispersal and pollination. Native plants provide food and shelter for 10-15 times more species of birds, butterflies and other local wildlife than non-native plants. Native plants and wildlife also keep each other’s populations in check. And native plants, especially flowering varieties, are beautiful additions to any garden or home.

Using native plants in your landscaping will save you time and money. Since native plants are adapted to our region’s soil and moisture conditions, they need to be watered less often. Once established, they are usually low maintenance. They have natural defenses to and can better resist pest infestations so they seldom require harmful pesticides and fertilizers. There are a great variety of native plants that you can use.

Some plants recommended by Audubon Connecticut and Mill River Collaborative include:

• Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
• Coreopsis (Coreopsis Tripteris)
• Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium maculatum)
• Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)
• Sunflower (Helianthus petiolaris)

If you want to attract wildlife to your backyard, provide them with food, water, and shelter. These plants are recommended because they are not only native but also provide valuable services to wildlife, particularly birds. Check your site conditions before choosing a particular plant to make sure the plants you use will be able to thrive in your site’s light, soil, and moisture conditions.

For a longer list of native plants and for tips on how to create a healthier environment for your family and wildlife please visit the Audubon CT, Audubon at Home website: http://ct.audubon.org/BirdSci_AAH.html.  And stay tuned for a joint program of the Mill River Collaborative and Audubon this May to celebrate Stamford’s native birds.

Save the Date!
On May 7, Mill River Collaborative will host our first native plant sale.  The plants listed above as well as additional varieties will be available. 
On May 6, we will have a special members only preview.