Gardening for Wildlife
Wildlife gardens can bring you endless hours of pleasure. As every animal needs food, water and shelter, the more of these requirements your wildlife garden is able to satisfy, the more animals, both in type and number, you are likely to attract. Some aspects that need to be considered include: the structure of your garden, types of plants, provision of water, and installing wildlife nesting boxes.
The following tips will get you started:
- Plant local varieties of nectar-rich plants to attract a number of wild visitors to your garden including butterflies and nectar-eating birds like Lorikeets and Honeyeaters. This includes plants such as Bottlebrush and Banksias.
- Seed and fruit-producing plants like Grasses, Wattles, Casuarinas and Eucalypts are favoured by seed-eaters like Finches, Rosellas and Parrots.
- Adding a water source, such as a bird bath will encourage birds (especially seed eating birds) to visit your garden regularly.
- Attracting insects to the garden will also encourage insect-eating birds, such as Pardalotes and Wrens. Most flowering plants will attract insects.
- Smaller animals and birds need protection in your garden. By planting dense spiky shrubs such as Hakea and Banksias, you can provide them the protection from predators.
- Encourage animals to nest and shelter in your garden by providing nest boxes. Owls, Parrots, Microbats and Sugar Gliders are some species which will make use of nestboxes.
Further Resources
The following websites have some excellent factsheets on creating gardens for wildlife.
 Backyard Buddies
Australian Backyard Wildlife
Wildlife in the Garden, Brisbane
Birds in Backyards
Gardens for Wildlife, Tasmania
Gardens for Wildlife, Hornsby
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