There is growing interest in using home landscapes as habitat for local wildlife. Ecological landscaping goes beyond pollinator gardens and wildflower meadows. It incorporates native plant selection, species specific habitat features, and sustainable maintenance practices. By designing landscapes with an ecological mindset, we can support wildlife while creating attractive, functional yards.
Ecological landscaping models natural plant communities, reduces chemical inputs, and supports soil health to increase local biodiversity. Natural ecosystems are complex and dynamic, whereas traditional home landscapes are often neat and predictable. Ecological landscaping requires us to change both how we manage and how we think about our landscapes. With thoughtful design and maintenance, we can create yards that are both aesthetically pleasing and ecologically beneficial. Several key practices can help gardeners support the ecosystem in their own yards.
Start with Native Plants
Native plants are the foundation of the local food web. Incorporating more native plants into managed landscapes increases the food supply available to local wildlife. Native plants serve a dual purpose: they are ecologically valuable and ornamental.
Choose plants suited to site conditions and compatible with the surrounding plant community. Select a variety of species that bloom in spring, summer, and fall to provide color and pollinator forage throughout the growing season. Include native plants that serve as larval host plants for insects and create layered vegetation with different heights and forms to provide habitat from the soil surface to the canopy.
Add Habitat Features
Beyond native plants, healthy ecosystems require other habitat features. Leaving plant debris and leaves in garden beds provides soil cover and protection for overwintering animals. Species differ in their overwintering shelter needs, consider which wildlife you hope to attract and tailor habitat features accordingly.
Leaving brush piles, dead wood, or snags is another important way to provide shelter. In general, reducing or skipping fall cleanup and delaying spring cleanup benefits wildlife. However, balance these practices with the needs of the landscape. For example, a thick layer of leaves left on a turf lawn through winter can smother grass and create dead patches; move those leaves into garden beds instead.
Reduce Chemical Inputs
Reducing chemical inputs is another critical component of ecological landscaping. Chemical inputs include fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides. Even natural or organic pesticides should be reduced or eliminated in an ecologically minded garden. Reducing these inputs allows the natural balance of the ecosystem to return.
Gardening for food production may require different maintenance practices and a greater allowance for chemical inputs than gardening primarily for wildlife habitat. The same is true for managing invasive plants, which may require targeted herbicide use.
Balance Ecology and Aesthetics
There is a balancing act between ecological maintenance practices and maintaining an attractive landscape. Leaving leaves and plant debris in place can be an adjustment for gardeners new to ecological landscaping. Still, ecological landscaping does not require abandoning attractive or usable spaces. Thoughtful design, intentional maintenance, and a willingness to relinquish some control can benefit both nature and people in the long run.
Interested in getting a jump start on applying ecological landscaping practices to your garden this year? Join us for a webinar on this and more fall cleanup topics on October 20th. Visit s.uconn.edu/hgeo-webinars for registration and details.
