Certify your garden as a wildlife habitat.

[Trellum]

Oh this is a great idea! Sadly I'm in the UK but has made me wonder if anybody in the UK does this also.

I was wondering about the same - in the rest of Europe, specially the Netherlands. It seems we are left out often It's a shame, I feel so hopeful when I read even a balcony can be a certified wildlife refuge.

 

[sixxup]

I have never known that. I usually consider my garden as being small to accommodate wildlife. I am going to think about it again. I hope that will be a good source of income.

 

[marlingardener]

Texas Parks and Wildlife has a "Wildscapes" program that certifies areas as habitat for wildlife--balconies included!
http://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/wildlife_diversity/wildscapes/
It is also affiliated with the National Wildlife Foundation, so you get two for one. I"m not sure of the fee, but I think it's $25 or thereabouts.
When we lived in town on 1/2 acre, we were certified as a Wildscape, then actually became one of the three demonstration gardens in the state. Now on the farm we aren't certified, but the whole darn thing is a wildscape with more critters than you can shake a stick at.

 

[DeborahJane]

I have a whole lot of wild life including snakes (lol)

Eeeeek! Do the snakes keep to themselves? My son has two in the garage, padlocked into their glass houses as they are strong enough to push the lids up. I don't have nightmares but if I go into the garage I look the other way. He brings them out sometimes when we have visitors (those who aren't terrified) and they just do their snakey thing looking around and going quite close but nothing aggressive. Although one time my friend wanted her picture taken and it did go round her neck and start to constrict! She says she wasn't scared ! But was very aware of its strength. I still won't touch them and they've been here over a year so they certainly aren't my thing

 

[DeborahJane]

I love the idea of a wildlife garden, and without knowing it much, I planted wild flowers in my small garden, put up three bird feeders, and water source for the birds in the area. Things were going well for me until my neighbor decided to put his left over food out and rats started to have a feast. When I told him about it, he immediately pour rat poison around his house, but still put left over right outside of his back door, which directly faced my garden.

I decided to take down the feeders so I don't have to see dead birds in my yard.

I throw old bread onto my lawn for the birds. I'll keep an eye open for rats. I don't like that idea at all!

 

[grouie]

Eeeeek! Do the snakes keep to themselves? My son has two in the garage, padlocked into their glass houses as they are strong enough to push the lids up. I don't have nightmares but if I go into the garage I look the other way. He brings them out sometimes when we have visitors (those who aren't terrified) and they just do their snakey thing looking around and going quite close but nothing aggressive. Although one time my friend wanted her picture taken and it did go round her neck and start to constrict! She says she wasn't scared ! But was very aware of its strength. I still won't touch them and they've been here over a year so they certainly aren't my thing

I do not harm them and they do not harm us but I am scared when I see them around, very rarely though. Snakes need their freedom but we are careful and see that they leave our property.

 

[Beth_B]

I do not harm them and they do not harm us but I am scared when I see them around, very rarely though. Snakes need their freedom but we are careful and see that they leave our property.

Dang grouie, I hadn't seen you post since Sunday and I was going to send out an alert!
I really like snakes, personally. Pretty much around here it's just garter snakes, they are absolutely harmless. A few days ago I was at the pet store and there was a guy there shopping with a boa constrictor hanging around his neck. Absolutely beautiful, sleek and muscular with a pattern that looked like a fine old-world mosaic.