Wild Herb Garden a.k.a. Backyard Habitat

Creating a wild herb garden, or backyard habitat, can be extremely fun and very rewarding. However, it does require learning what plants grow naturally in your area, what wildlife is likely to visit, and what their needs are. Before I go too much further I want to share one of the best sites for learning about your wild herb garden - The National Wildlife Federation. The NWF shares even more information on how to do this and gives you a way to certify your backyard wildlife habitat.

I think one of the best parts of building this kind of garden are the surprises that come to your backyard. Imagine waking on a cool April morning and seeing these flowers totally covering your lawn.

Or having huge mushrooms popping up all over.

Or being visited by dragonflies. It's all possible when you open your yard to nature.

Step 1: Evaluate Your Back Yard. You're going to need to spend some time and look at it through the day. Ask yourself what areas get morning sun, afternoon sun, evening sun, sun all day, and no or little sun. I made a little picture of my yard, marking where trees where and the areas I wanted for my family use (like playing and cooking outside). Then I tracked it, hour-by-hour, so I'd have a good idea. Keep in mind that the position of the sun will change as the season does - but this should give you a good idea without being difficult.

Step 2: Know Your Area's Plants.
Depending on how new you are to your area, and how much you've paid attention to the plants around you, this will take longer - but I think this is the most fun. Get yourself a plant ID book (you can find these at your library), note pad and pencil, and go for walks in the wilder areas around you (do be careful - take a friend). When you see a flower you think is pretty, look it up. Make sure it's not poisonous. Note where you found it - what condition is it growing best in (how much sun - what does the soil look like) - and what the name is. You could even take a picture.

Step 3: Research Land Owners.
Before you go digging up someone's land, you better find out who owns it and ask permission. When you find the owner tell them you're building a backyard habitat that you'd like to get certified by the National Wildlife Federation. Tell them what you'd like to take and ask them if it's okay.

Step 4: Don't Leave Holes, Pick Up Garbage.
It's very important to leave an area looking better than it was before you got there - so spend the first bit of your time picking up garbage that might have blown in (this is not leaves - I'm talking about human garbage). This is Mother Nature's wild herb garden, so care for hers as well.

Start in your own yard where you want a plant to go. Dig up the dirt in that area and put it in a bucket, box, or tub to take with you.

When you get to your plant make sure you dig about a foot away from the stem and about a foot down. Replace what you dug up with the dirt from your yard. Carefully put your new plant into the bucket and get it home.

Step 5: Transplant.
Fill the hole in your yard with water. Place your new plant in and give it a little more water from on top.

Step 6: Be Patient and Tend.
Not all of the plants you bring home are going to make it. That's just a fact of wild herb gardening. I once brought home some wild mint, after about a week the plant looked like it had died and I was very disheartened. However, the following year I had beautiful wild mint springing up all over the place. That was also about the same time I learned just how prolific mints are, ha ha.


In 2010 I moved from Indiana to the High Desert Mountains of New Mexico. What a difference in land, climate and plants! I decided to put my skills, building a wild herb garden, to test in a difficult situation. Just below is a slide show of my progress. I will continue to add pictures until I'm done (which may be years, ha ha).

If you mouse over the slide show a 'control' bar will appear at the bottom. From that control bar you can stop the slide show to read my comments or just get a better look at the pictures. Clicking on a picture will take you to the Picasa Album itself, if you want to see bigger pictures.

Gardening Resources
The National Wildlife Federation - This site teaches you all about building a backyard habitat and gives you the opportunity to certify your creation.

Hydroponics At Home - You may need to think beyond standard gardening to create your wild herb garden. Including hydroponics can vastly widen your ability to bring nature in. This is the best site I've found for teaching you how to do it - on an individual level - yard by yard.