Certify Your Garden as a Wildlife Sanctuary

Host a healthy and sustainable nature sanctuary, right in your own garden. You can even get it certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a bona fide wildlife habitat, complete with a yard sign you can stake on your grounds.

To transform your garden into a wildlife-friendly haven, start by replacing the grass with native and indigenous plants, whether they're succulents, bunch grasses or natives. Already adapted to local conditions, native plants are easy to grow and maintain, generally requiring less fertilizer and water, as well as less effort to rein in pests.

Besides tending to the needs of native birds, you should also extend some hometown hospitality to our pollinator pals, such as butterflies and bees, by growing a diverse variety of native flowers they're particularly drawn to, such as Toyon, Calif. Lilac, and Coffeeberry. Also, gardens with 10 or more species of attractive plants have been found to entice the most bees.