Habitat Certification

Today I started thinking about applying for the National Wildlife Federation's Habitat Certification program. I had seen it a long time ago (probably as a child) and thought it was a really neat idea. I do remember seeing it in Sunset Magazine before I owned a house and thought to myself, "Now that is something I want to do in my lifetime."

Tonight I filled out the application and am proud to announce that Lizard Hollow is now a National Wildlife Federation certified wildlife habitat!

I always thought there was a lot more to the application process, but basically, you have to meet a minimum criteria and pay a $15 application fee, and viola! You're certified. I also ponied up $25 for a sign like the picture...

I don't want to make it seem like it's no small feat to be certified. I barely met the minimum requirements, and still have some work to do to improve Lizard Hollow's "habitat". The application actually gave me a lot of ideas to think about, and small things we can implement soon and on a shoestring budget:

Butterfly puddling area (sunken disk with sand)
Water garden (sunken 1/2 wine barrel)
More native shrubs along the perimeters
Log piles (already started with trimmings this year)
Frog/toad house (another ceramics class perhaps?)
Host plants for caterpillars

My gardening spirit has been reinvigorated over the last few weeks and I am more excited than ever with the changes we've made and the plans we have for our landscape.