My son, Christopher, graduated college in May. He lives in Tennessee, and we have been meeting virtually each Friday to discuss his job search. I can unabashedly say it is the highlight of my week. Our weekly chats give him an opportunity to let me know what he has accomplished and for me to give him feedback and ideas of where he should be focusing his efforts. The feeling that I am tangibly helping him to chart his future is very rewarding. As Elie Tahari observed “Sooner or later, you realize that real fulfillment comes only from helping others. All of the rest is just temporary.”
While we all don’t have a college-educated unemployed young person in our lives to help, we do all have birds and wildlife living among us. Gardening gives us the opportunity to provide nourishment for our souls but also for insects, birds, pollinators and wildlife. There are several non-profit organizations that help homeowners establish ecosystem friendly areas in their yards as well as provide recognition and support.
Pollinator Pockets is a program that has been established by the University of Illinois Extension Service in recognition of the vital role that pollinators play in our food chain. It encourages homeowners to develop an area in their yard that is approximately 5’ by 5’. They recommend planting native perennial flowers such as Prairie Blazing Star, Prairie Milkweed, Culver’s Root and Golden Alexanders. If at all possible, please make this area a pesticide free zone to protect the pollinators. For more information regarding the establishment of a pollinator pocket and to register it with the Extension Service please check out their website.
Want to increase the world’s butterfly population? Consider establishing a Certified Butterfly Garden through the North America Butterfly Association (NABA). NABA offers support for those gardeners who specifically want to learn how to create a paradise for butterflies. They provide information regarding the basics of butterfly gardening which include providing food for native caterpillars and butterflies. More information is available through their website.
Illinois Audubon Society offers a Bird and Butterflies sanctuary program. This program is designed to spread the word about how important it is to create spaces in our yards that support these vital portions of our ecosystem. They offer suggestions on how to evaluate your soil type, connect with local resources and check for invasive species in your yard. For more information, please check out their website.
The National Wildlife Foundation has established the Certified Wildlife Habitat program for homeowners. A Certified Wildlife Habitat is designed to support butterflies, birds and wildlife and includes several key elements. The first element food is usually provided by native plants installed in the area. Water should also be provided for nutrition and bathing. This can be in the form of a circulating water fountain. Shelter should be provided to wildlife in the form of evergreen or deciduous shrubs. Like the pollinator pocket program, the Certified Wildlife Habitat program also emphasizes sustainable practices. This means reducing the use of pesticides and looking towards more natural ways to maintain the garden. More information is available through their website.
These state and national organizations and their respective programs are all designed to help you help others. I hope that they bring you as much joy as I receive each Friday afternoon while talking with my son.
Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or emailing her at Kathleen@thegrowingscene.com. Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She may address it in an upcoming column.
