Hi,

Anyone out there have a "certified" Backyard Habitat? I've discovered that--since moving to the country--I'm losing interest in my "sissy city flowers" and becoming more and more excited about native plants and establishing a backyard habitat. I've been reading a lot (Noah's Garden, Natural Landscaping--two different books; same title--and Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife (National Wildlife Federation)and going to lectures.

I've started concentrating on building up the shrub, grass and "understory tree" portion of my (mostly empty) new yard...I've planted a pagoda dogwood, several American Cranberry viburnums, arrowood and 'blue muffin' viburnums, sand cherries, Mongolian cherry, raspberries and blackberries, grey dogwoods (rabbits tried like mad to eat these up last winter!), serviceberry (ditto rabbit food) and several different prairie grasses.

I'm hoping to turn the side-yard into a mini-meadow, and have 6 blueberries coming from Miller Nurseries, for under my giant Norway Spruces.

Anyway, I'd love to hear what you've done in the way of incorporating native plantings, cover, and food sources for wildlife in YOUR garden. As I said, I'm just starting out and looking to learn all I can. :-)