Enlightened Landscaping

"Choose the right things to plant to benefit wildlife and yourself"

- By Dana Benner

I usually wake up well before daylight. With a cup of coffee in hand, I step outside, where I collect my thoughts and prepare for the upcoming day. It's a peaceful time, when the sounds that greet me are the hoots of the barred owl in a nearby tree. Sometimes, I see a fox family, kits and all, move across the yard after a night of hunting. Occasionally, a skunk or raccoon will amble past as they head for home (the skunk lives under the shed, and the raccoon lives somewhere farther into the woods).

You might be asking yourself, What does all this have to do with landscaping? It's very simple: Encouraging wildlife to visit your property will benefit you, both physically and mentally. Physically, you'll benefit by having bees, butterflies and hummingbirds visit your crops-and thus increase your harvest.

Mentally, having wildlife around has a calming effect. Studies have shown that animal contact, no matter how fleeting, reduces stress and lowers your blood pressure. Why do you think people have the desire to visit zoos? Seeing wildlife makes you feel as if you're really part of the world around you. It makes you feel reconnected; it gives you peace of mind.

None of these animals would be around here-certainly not in the numbers they are-if I didn't landscape and manage my property with the environment in mind. Part of that management revolves around the plants that I've added, or have been encouraged to, and how and where I plant them.