Dude, I am totally certifiable!

National Wildlife Federation

You read it here first. Yup. I am totally certifiable. Certified as.....drumroll, please.....A Backyard Wildlife Habitat. OK, so my garden is certified. 

 This is a very cool thing to do. Trust me. You get a nice sign from the National Wildlife Federation for all the world to see. It costs $40 dollars total: $15 for the membership in NWF and $25 for the sign.  I see it as a way to donate to the NWF and to let others know I care about making my garden wildlife friendly.

When you apply online, you will be asked how many food sources your property offers to wildlife: seeds, nuts, nectar, etc?  How many water sources for birds, bees, butterflies? Places of cover and for nesting for baby birds? Its so easy and at the same time you can make a mental note of what MORE you could be doing to support the local fauna. 

I absolutely LOVE sitting on my patio during the evening and watching the hummers dart and zip and sip at my hummingbird mint (agastache 'Ava'). My lavender 'Grosso' is about the size of a small VW bug and is covered with bumblers and honeybees.  To me, this is a sacred part of my garden.  This huge humming plant is at the bottom of my patio stairs, in the line of traffic all day long, but I'd rather make a wide detour than disturb the business of the bees being.

I am often asked what to plant to attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and especially the last two gardening years, honeybees. The answer:  nectar plants, cover plants and most importantly, you must have a clean and fresh source of water year round. I found this wonderful resource page for you on wikipedia, Northern Nectar Sources for Honeybees. Check it out, add what you can, and be certifiable!