I've Been Certified!

Four years ago when I first moved into my new old house, there was no garden. Not so much as a shrub. There was a big old catalpa tree in the front yard and that was about all I had besides grass. Today there's a lot less grass and I have a garden that's been certified as a wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation.

This means that I have provided enough water, food and shelter for the native wildlife that my backyard is now considered a wildlife habitat. And providing a wildlife habitat appeals to the laziness in me. Ninety percent of my flowers are native Minnesota plants: milkweed, Joe Pye weed, purple coneflower, English asters, black eye-d Susans, liatrus and tiger lilies. These aren't the hybrid nursery versions, these were all purchased from a landscape company that deals in the real thing. I've also included shrubs that provide berries for the birds and unwittingly, food for the rabbits that live under my garage. I'd heard other gardeners complain about rabbits destroying their gardens, but my shrubs come back each year, bigger and healthier than the year before.

Everything is Minnesota hardy. I don't worry about early frosts or droughts. These plants need little water and seem to thrive on my abuse and my granddaughter's curiosity. Another advantage is that it's spreading. If I have my way, some day there'll be no lawn to mow. And a thick covering of native flowers takes care of most of the weeds too. A perfect carefree backyard for a lazy gardener.