Apartment Therapy Los Angeles | Bring in the Butterflies

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Bring in the Butterflies

The other day, sitting in a friend's backyard, we were intrigued by the variety of flowers. We were even more intrigued by the number of hummingbirds her garden attracted. Sitting quietly, watching them hover, their wings beating at extraordinary speed, we couldn't help but notice that her garden was full of wildlife from pretty butterflies to curious squirrels. Some tips for attracting wildlife to your own garden, after the jump...

Localize: Native plants attract native wildlife.
Variety: An eclectic choice of plants and flowers equals more types of animals. Let your garden mimic nature in all its diversity.
Wild Life: Let some of your flowers go to seed, leave a few fallen avocados on the ground.
Garden organically: Compost attracts earthworms. Earthworms attract birds. Birds attract other animals. Ladybugs, for example, eat aphids, green flies, mealy bugs and other scale insects.
Shade: Good for humans, inviting to our animal brethren who don't have air-conditioned homes to retreat to. A water feature is another option to encourage animals, block out noise and encourage a tranquil, inviting atmosphere.