We’re rewilding. While we may love our neat and tidy landscapes, gardening with a more sustainably focused approach is gaining popularity as more people learn what it means to be part of nature rather than trying to control it. In recent years, one of the most popular landscape trends working toward this goal is “rewilding.”
Simply put, rewilding aims to return an environment to its natural state. “The term essentially means restoring wildness,” says Michael Hagen, curator of rock and native plant gardens at the New York Botanical Garden. “It’s based on the concept that we’ve lost animals from our landscapes, and we need to restore natural processes and species to bring ecosystems back to their original state.”
While rewilding is essential to restoring large-scale ecosystems (the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park is a great example), the same concept applies on a smaller scale to your own yard or garden. “By taking small steps, you can encourage nature’s natural regeneration,” Hagen says. “The idea is not to garden for nature, but to garden with nature.”
Rewilding doesn’t mean uncultivating beloved plants or getting rid of your lawn altogether. Rather, it means focusing on changes that bring biodiversity back into the landscape and listening to what’s going on in your own little corner of the natural world. “It’s about using what you have at hand and adding an extra level to create a connection with nature,” says Erin Goss, plant initiatives coordinator for the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Shaw Nature Preserve. “Seeing how small changes make a big difference helps you develop a relationship with the land.”
Even if you don’t have a backyard, you can still support biodiversity by turning a window planter or flower pot into a mini ecosystem. If you’re ready to make a positive impact and transform your garden into a greener place, here’s how to rewild your garden.
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Doing Less
Hagen says this may be a difficult concept to embrace, at least for those who prefer a more manicured landscape, but try to at least make a small part of your land more natural, more perfectly landscaped.
For example, Hagen plants oak saplings on the edge of his garden and mows around the nesting areas of solitary bees. You could also mow less frequently or turn a small section of your lawn into a grass garden.
Reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides
This is probably one of the most important things we can do, Goss says: Reducing our use of pesticides and fertilizers will attract beneficial insects and prevent excess fertilizer from entering our waterways.
If you still want to keep a traditional lawn, at least get a soil test to make sure you’re not overusing products and know what you don’t need to add.
Related article: Is homemade vinegar weed killer safe?
Plant native flowers
Goss recommends planting native plants in your yard, even if it’s just one type. Check with your local botanical garden or university cooperative extension service (find one here) for a list of native plants for your area, or consult with conservation organizations like Audubon, the National Wildlife Federation or the Xexes Society.
Related article: 10 Perennials That Add Plenty of Color to Your Garden
Remove invasive plants
When it comes to planting, Hagen suggests removing any invasive plants, which include common plants like black locust, ivy, orange daylily, honeysuckle and Bradford pear.
Though they may look pretty, these and other invasive plants are problematic because they spread quickly, choking out native plants, disrupting the natural diversity and balance of an area and reducing food sources for native wildlife.
Related article: 12 Invasive Plants to Remove from Your Yard Now
Providing shelter for wildlife
Habitat loss and other factors have led to many species struggling to survive. For example, many bat populations have declined in recent years due to factors including habitat loss, wind turbines and the devastating fungal disease White Nose Syndrome (WNS).
Make your yard more hospitable by providing shelter for these animals, such as bat boxes, beehives, wren houses, bluebird nesting boxes, etc. A brush pile at the back of your property can also provide shelter for many species of animals.
Creating a bird-friendly environment
While setting up bird feeders is a good idea, it’s really for your benefit and enjoyment, says Hagen. Even more helpful is providing other food sources for birds to forage for, such as by not picking flowers like echinacea and planting shrubs for protection and shade.
Note: Birds will benefit from having feeders set out year-round to provide extra food for the winter.
Related article: 26 Best Flowers for Hummingbirds
Plant a variety of habitat types
Animals need all kinds of habitats, Hagen says: open spaces, perennials, shrubs, trees, etc. Planting different heights and types of plants creates ecological diversity that can support different insects, amphibians, birds, and animals of all kinds.
Provide a water feature
A simple birdbath provides clean water for birds and insects, including beneficial pollinators, which is especially important during droughts, says Hagen: the hotter it gets for birds, the more water they need to drink (just like us humans!), so providing water will help keep them hydrated and healthy.
Plant a rainwater garden
Instead of letting rainwater run off your roof or property directly into drains (and into your local streams or rivers), Goss suggests creating rainwater gardens.
Rain gardens are shallow depressions planted with native plants (such as swamp milkweed) that don’t mind wet soil. Rainwater gardens slow water runoff, filter pollutants, and provide habitat for native plants.
Know your garden
The best way to foster a connection with nature, Goss says, is to spend time in your space. Observe the sunlight at different times of the day to choose the right plants for the right places. Learn what birds and insects visit. Feel and smell the soil to get an idea of what type of soil you have.
Getting familiar with my own little piece of nature makes me feel more connected and motivated to garden for diversity and rewilding.
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