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Water Gardens for Wildlife

Water Garden  
Basic biology teaches us wildlife require five habitat components to live.  Food is required, cover for escape and nesting, space to populate as a species, water, and proper arrangement of these.  Around our homes much emphasis is placed on landscaping for songbirds with certain shrubs and flowers that provide food and nesting cover.  Quite often water is the most over-looked, basic, essential component necessary for songbirds to inhabit outdoor areas.  Water needs to be nearby or the birds and other wildlife you wish to see will not be present in the abundance you desire.  Providing water will attract a diverse array of songbirds and dragon flies to your backyard and moving water, either dripping or rippling, is especially appreciated.  Water gardens feature cooling vistas of peaceful solitude, teeming with wildlife, so important to our everyday lives.

Building a water garden in your backyard can be a realitively simple operation but people often make mistakes that make this proposition a major hassle instead of an enjoyable and rewarding experience.  To help you avoid some of the pitfalls in creating a water garden of your own, the Wildlife Diversity Program has teamed with Jamie Beyers, a water garden consultant, to offer you some tips in designing and maintaining a functional water garden.

 Things to consider BEFORE digging

Six Keys to Clear Water



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Last Update July 30, 2002
 

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