Our Backyard Habitat – A Garden for Wildlife and Pollinators
This Year’s Wildlife Habitat and Garden Glow-Up
Every year, we try to make our property a little more welcoming for wildlife. This year’s project focused mostly on pollinators and was completed a few months ago. What started with planters, waterers, bee bowls, and a lot of deer-friendly flowers has grown into a colorful, inviting retreat for pollinators, local wildlife, and even a few mischievous visitors… and we love them all!
The main garden — lovingly named Gracie’s Garden 💖 — honors the memory of our beautiful Arabian mare while giving something back to the animals and sustaining the plants and flowers she loved. Clean water, safe landing spots, vibrant blooms, and cozy nooks have turned it into a lively little sanctuary.
And the best part? The wildlife didn’t even wait for us to finish. All summer long, butterflies, bees, birds, and squirrels have been daily visitors, joined by deer, raccoons, and even the neighborhood bear family passing through from the nearby ponds. Our yard is truly full of life and activity!
As I’m sitting here writing this, butterflies are fluttering around a huge hibiscus bush outside my window. 🌸🦋
🌿 Backyard Habitat Highlights – The Results
- Small Flower Waterer
Added smooth stones so bees and small insects could land safely without risk of drowning. I’ve spotted some sipping here, so it works! - Large Flower Waterer
Bright and beautiful, but after a couple of months in full sun it faded. It’s really pretty, so I’m going to get another one but will place it in a shadier spot. - Butterfly House with Planter
The flowers grew in beautifully. It might not have been the best location for butterflies to nest thought, but it added charm. The planter end came apart once, but a little glue fixed it, and it’s been fine since. - Mounted Waterer
This waterer comes with a clamp that’s designed to be mounted on a deck rail, it was the perfect addition to the Gracie’s Garden sign. We added the fountain (below) and we just love it! - Fountain
This fountain was the perfect size for the mounted waterer (above). It adds peaceful sound and motion to the garden. It comes with a few different nozzles for varied water flow and it’s a lovely way to combine function with beauty. We do clean it periodically to prevent it from clogging. - Hummingbird House
Placed about five feet off the ground, these little houses came in a pack of three. They’re super cute, but I should have sealed them first — a couple developed black mildew spots (Florida sun + humidity is tough on wood). - Hummingbird Feeder
I love these purple feeders! They came in a pack of two and even include an ant moat. I hung them on shepherd’s hooks and filled them with homemade sugar water (recipe below). I was hoping the bears would leave them alone, but after a week I found them knocked down twice. I eventually had to take them down, but before I did I’m pretty sure I saw a hummingbird a couple of times. - Bee House
We hung this bright blue bee house on a post, protected by the overhang of Gracie’s run-in roof. It’s placed above a couple of blue planters and a small waterer, so the bees would have everything they need. No “residents” yet, but it’s cute and maybe someday! - Planters
The flowers are the main attraction throughout our backyard habitat. My favorites are hibiscus and impatiens — bold, beautiful colors! Deer love them too, and that was part of the plan. I want everyone to enjoy them, so I plant in multiple locations for the wildlife, and keep some close to the house that they don’t bother.
We also planted a pollinator mix and added pentas, zinnias, lantana, marigolds, and milkweed. The marigolds (with their strong smell) helped somewhat to keep deer and bugs away from house-side flowers. The milkweed has exploded this year, and butterflies — mostly swallowtails — love it!
The brightly colored planters in the paddock contain impatiens that the bears love to pull out and play with…interesting! Amazingly, we’ve been able to rescue the flowers, replant them and they are still going strong! - Rubber Feed Pans for Water
We’ve used rubber feed pans for years, keeping them filled with water around the property. I keep a small rubber pan nearby for babies — while mama deer, raccoons, or others use the trough, the little ones can safely drink from the smaller one. They’re incredibly tough — ours are 10+ years old and still holding up, despite the bears playing with them and carrying them off into the woods.
It’s fascinating to watch how bees and wasps land on the rim, carefully walk down, and break the water tension to take a drink.
They’ve also been a quick way to provide water when the occasional horse, dog or cat gets loose in the neighborhood. - Gracie’s Trough
This trough is nearly 11 years old. It may look weathered, but it’s still going strong. Over the years, it has been more than just a water source — it’s served as a bath, a swimming pool, a play zone, and even a home for leopard frogs and other amphibians that have lived under it.
🦋 Wildlife Visitors, and the butterflies love it!
- Butterflies — The milkweed exploded this year.
Note: milkweed is the only plant that monarch butterflies will lay their eggs on, and their caterpillars rely on it as their sole food source. - Deer — They snack on impatiens and hibiscus. I plant some as “treats” for them and keep others closer to the house where they leave them alone.
- Birds & Squirrels — Frequent visitors that enjoy the water and the bird seed we sprinkle on the ground for them.
- Raccoons — Curious little guys, often seen near the trough.
- Bears — Mischievous and hilarious visitors, passing through from the ponds around our property. They’ve played hide and seek with the plants in the planters, tipped over my little table, pulled hoses, and made toys out of the water pans and flower waterers.
Why We Love It
Even with a few bear-tested surprises and weather-worn pieces, this backyard habitat is everything we hoped for. Every bowl, planter, and waterer adds life and personality to the yard. The joy of watching all the activity in a natural environment makes it all worthwhile.
Conclusion
Creating a backyard habitat isn’t about perfection — it’s about experimenting, adapting, and enjoying the wildlife that shows up. Gracie’s Garden may be full of character from the sun, the rain, and yes, even the bears, but that’s what makes it special. It’s a space that truly feels alive — a haven for pollinators and backyard wildlife.
🐝 Sneak Peek: Tools of the Trade 🌸
👉 Curious what we used and why?
Check out our favorite picks here:
#GraciesGarden #ThisYearsGarden #BackyardGlowUp #WildlifeFriendlyGarden #BackyardHabitat #PollinatorParadise #BearBunk #BeeBowl #ButterflyPuddler #HummingbirdHeaven #WildlifeFriendlyGarden #BearBunk
👉 Want to follow the journey?
Read the entire series: How to Create a Welcoming Wildlife Backyard Habitat
Stay tuned for more DIY tips, habitat upgrades, and ways to support the wild ones who share our world. 🐾🌿
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