Rewilding Is the Biggest Gardening Trend of 2024

This can be a tough concept to embrace, at least for those who prefer manicured landscapes, says Hagen. But, at the very least, let one small part of your land become more naturalized, less perfectly landscaped.

For example, Hagen has allowed oak tree seedlings to sprout along the edges of his garden and mows around an area where solitary miner bees are nesting. You could mow less frequently, or transform a petite section of lawn into a meadow garden.

This is probably one of the most important things you can do, says Goss. Reducing pesticide and fertilizer use can help attract beneficial insects and keep excess fertilizer out of our waterways.

If you still want to keep a conventional lawn, at the very least, get a soil test so you’re not overusing products and can learn what you may not need to add.

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While you’re being thoughtful about plantings, remove any invasive plants, suggests Hagen. That includes common plants such as tree of heaven, English ivy, orange daylilies, Japanese honeysuckle, and Bradford pear.

They may be pretty, but these and other invasive plants are problematic. That’s because they spread rapidly, smother native plants, and upset the natural diversity and balance of an area, providing less food for native wildlife.

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As habitat is reduced and other factors come into play, many species struggle for existence. For example, many bat populations have declined in recent years due to factors including habitat loss, wind turbines, and white nose syndrome (WNS), a devastating fungal disease.

Make your yard a more welcoming place by providing shelter for these critters, such as bat boxes, bee houses, wrenhoues, and bluebird houses. A brush pile placed to the back of your property also offers shelter to many species.

It’s fine to put up a birdfeeder, but that’s really for your benefit and enjoyment, says Hagen. What’s more helpful is to provide other food sources for them to forage, by not deadheading flowers such as echinacea, and making sure you have shrubs for protection and shade.

Side note: It is beneficial to birds to supplement their food in winter by keeping feeders up year-round.

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Animals need all sorts of habitat, including open areas, perennials, shrubs and trees, says Hagen. Including different heights and types of plantings will create ecological diversity that supports a range of insects, amphibians, birds, and animals of all types.

Instead of letting all that water spill off your roof and property directly into the storm drains (and then into local streams and rivers), plant a rain garden, suggests Goss.

Rain gardens are shallow depressions planted with native plants that don’t mind having damp soil (like swamp milkweed. They slow water runoff, provide pollutant filtration and offer native plant habitat.

The best way to foster a connection with nature is to spend time in your space, says Goss. Watch the sunlight at different times of day so you choose the right plants for the right spots. Learn what birds and insects are visiting. Feel and smell the soil to get an idea of what kind you have.

Getting familiar with your little piece of nature will help you feel even more connected and motivated to garden for diversity go (re)wild.