According to Ottawa's Fletcher Wildlife Garden: "One of the best ways to attract wildlife to your backyard garden is by providing a regular supply of water." I've had birdbaths for years -- one raised up on a stand, and the other on the ground. These do attract birds who want to drink or bathe, but … Continue reading Building our stream and pond →

When Dark-eyed Juncos return to our yard in the fall, we know that winter isn't far behind. They spend spring and summer further north where they breed in Boreal forests. When Juncos move south in winter, they use a wider variety of habitats, like our gardens. In 2019, our first winter guests arrived at the … Continue reading Juncos: welcome winter guests →

It's been wonderful seeing so many butterflies in our garden. I never know when one will show up though, so it's still unexpected and exciting to see them. Here are a few tips I've learned to increase the chances of spotting butterflies. Keep an eye on their favourite places Adult butterflies visit flower patches looking … Continue reading Tips for butterfly watching →

This summer, I also discovered some new butterflies in the garden. I have been trying to attract them by adding more food plants: flowers with nectar for adults, and a variety of host plants for their caterpillars. My efforts are certainly paying off. Great Spangled Fritillary butterflies For the first time ever, I saw Great … Continue reading Butterfly spotting, part 2: new butterfly visitors →

I must sound like a broken record. In most of my blog posts, I begin with a variation of: "Even though our native plantings are only a few years old, I see more insects/birds each year, and a greater diversity of insect/bird species." Here I go again -- in 2019, I saw so many butterflies, … Continue reading Butterfly spotting, part 1: common butterflies in the garden →

I used to think that our back yard was just too big. At the very end, there is a 10-foot high chain-link fence that separates our yard from the high school field beyond. Each spring, I battled a tangle of tree seedlings, vines, and weeds that sprung up near the fence. I dreamed of creating … Continue reading Neglect and bird poop: how my native hedgerow began →

A couple of years ago, I planted a Crabapple tree that bears small fruit for birds to eat in winter. Last year, there were only a few berries and I didn't spot anything eating them. This year has been a different story. In mid-November, during an unusually cold and snowy week, the birds entertained us … Continue reading November Crabapple feast →