What type of critters are allowed or invited into the yard? The answer is up to each gardener.
Some people are thrilled to see deer bed down in their yard while others see them as destructive creatures that eat all their plants.
Problems can occur when one neighbour embraces wild things and the next does not.
And nature does not understand legal boundaries.
Creatures in the garden can be encouraged or discouraged by the landscape. They tend to go into areas that supply the basics of life: space, shelter, food and water.
Small yards are most likely to attract smaller creatures and have less variety than a larger area. This is in part due to the limited habitat. Smaller animals will use small spaces to hide from their predators. Nut hatches are often seen perched in a dense shrub.
On the other hand, deer (at least ones that are not used to urban life) prefer wide open spaces, allowing them to see predators in time to run. Adding a partial hedge or a large bush where predators could hide has been known to discourage the animals from entering the yard.
Shelter does not always come in the form of a building with four walls and a roof. It can be a bush, a tree, a bunch of grass or a pile of logs.
Bird houses will encourage birds to visit the yard but they are more likely to come if there are trees and shrubs in which they can perch and hide.
Wild critters are programmed for survival. They are always on the lookout for food. First choice is always food that they are familiar with: native plants. Deer and moose tend to trim dogwood and willow plants before they nibble on spirea.
Want to attract larger birds such as blue jays and cedar waxwings? Plant mountain ash or crab apples and they will come in flocks.
Saskatoons also attract many birds. Often the plants must be protected with a net to keep the birds away long enough to pick the berries.
Hummingbirds are small, fast-moving creatures that are a treat to watch. The tiny creatures will feed at hummingbird feeders that contain a mixture of sugar and water but they prefer tubular, red flowers such as honeysuckles, lilies and maltese cross.
An occasional butterfly will frequent any garden. Yards or neighbourhoods that provide hiding places for eggs and larva as well and food for caterpillars and butterflies will have more of these winged creatures. A salt lick will attract male butterflies as they need the salt to mate. Mass plantings are more attractive to butterflies than single flowers as it takes less energy to walk across the flower tops as opposed to flying across the yard.
All forms of life need water. The amount if water varies with each critter. For some, the moisture left from rain and dew is adequate. Others that need more water are more likely to live close to a water source like a pond, lake or birdbath.
Space plays an important part in any ecosystem. Large areas will hold a larger variety of plants and larger plants without overwhelming the space. This in turn will encourage a large and more diverse wildlife population.
Smaller areas are just as viable but they will usually contain a smaller variety of critters.
It is up to each gardener to design their yard to attract or repel critters.
Neighbourhoods that contain similar plantings provide a bigger ecosystem and creatures will populate it according to the shelter, space, food and water available.
Linda Tomlinson is a horticulturalist who lives near Rocky Mountain House. She can be reached at www.igardencanada.com or your_garden@hotmail.com.