When you hear about gardens, what comes to your mind? Flowers? Plants? Nice smells? and Fresh air? You are right, but there is more to a garden than just plants. Gardens are full of life. You’ll find many small animals living there or just passing through. Some of them help your plants grow, while others may cause a bit of trouble. Either way, they still play a part in keeping things in balance.
Let’s look at some of the most common animals you might see in your garden.
Mammals
Mammals are animals that have backbones. Notably, female mammals feed their babies with milk. You may see these ones in your garden:
Hedgehogs
Hedgehogs are animals that love gardens. These small animals mostly come out at night and eat insects, worms, and slugs. They are helpful to gardeners because they control pests. You can leave out some dry cat food and make a small hole in your fence so they can come and go in your garden. A quiet space with dry leaves or logs can be a good hiding place for them to live.
Squirrels
Squirrels are fun to watch as they run around trees and hide their food. If your garden has trees or bushes, you’ll likely see them. The only problem is, your plants and flowers are their food, so they may dig up your flower bulbs or eat fruit. You can use squirrel-proof feeders or plant your bulbs deeper to stop them from digging.
Birds
Birds are very easy to notice in gardens. They love gardens. Garden birds sing sweet songs and a garden without birds feels empty. Some birds you might see include:
Robins
Robins are friendly birds with red chests and a cheerful song. They often follow gardeners around looking for worms. If you put out some seeds for them or water, they’ll return to your garden more often.
Blackbirds
Blackbirds are great singers and common in many gardens. They usually search for food between leaves of plants and flowers. While they are doing this, they might make a bit of a mess. Gardeners love them for their whistling. If you like having them around, leave out some berries or mealworms for them. A shallow dish of water will also attract them.
Other birds you might see include:
- Hummingbirds
- Chickadees
- Sparrows
- Mockingbirds.
Insects and Invertebrates
Insects are tiny creatures without bones. They mostly have six legs and three body parts and gardens are full of them. Here are a few you may have seen in your garden:
Bees
Bees are very important in gardens. They help flowers grow by spreading pollen, this helps plants to reproduce. To invite bees, grow flowers like sunflowers, daisies, and lavender. Also, avoid chemical sprays that can hurt them. You can also add a small bee hotel or leave a patch of wildflowers for them. But note that they sting very hard, so don’t expose your body around them.
Butterflies
Butterflies are beautiful and peaceful insects. They have colorful wings that make the garden look nice. Some butterflies lay eggs on specific plants, so you can learn more about local types and plant what they need. Butterflies also help with pollination.
If you want more butterflies, plant flowers with nectar and put out a small water dish with stones where they can land and drink.
Reptiles and Amphibians
These are animals that also have backbones. Some have dry scaly skin (like lizards), while others need moist places (like frogs and toads). Here are some you may see:
Frogs and Toads
Frogs and toads like gardens with water or moist soil. You’ll usually find them near small ponds or wet spots. They eat bugs like mosquitoes, so they are helpful to gardeners as well. To invite them, create a small pond or leave a shallow dish of water in a shady spot, before you know it, they are there.
Lizards
Lizards are common in sunny gardens. You might see them running across rocks or walls as they eat insects and usually keep to themselves. They do not destroy plants or flowers and don’t cause harm to your garden. Since they are mostly active in the day, chasing insects, they are good pest control animals in gardens.
Conclusion
A garden is not all about planting flowers or vegetables. It’s also about the animals that live there. Even the tiny insects are important in the garden. Gardens have singing birds and helpful mammals, every creature plays a role in keeping your garden alive and balanced. Some will help your plants grow, while others might need a little control. But instead of chasing them away, try to understand them. The more you learn about these animals, the better your garden will be.