Heritage Rose Garden Gets National Wildlife Certification

Susan Price

The Heritage Rose Garden (HRG) was recently certified as a National Wildlife Habitat.  If you have visited the HRG recently, you may have noticed the plaque proudly displayed beside the kiosk at the garden’s entrance.

With a little research, we learned that qualifying as a Certified Wildlife Habitat was not nearly as difficult as we thought.  We already were trying to make the HRG a haven for wildlife, growing roses alongside natives, practicing IPM and providing water sources and cover for birds and pollinators to hide.  We were thrilled last year to discover caterpillars and chrysalises on our milkweed and got giddy every time we spotted monarch butterflies visiting the garden.  We added a bird bath last fall and have already seen an increase in the number of birds visiting the garden.  As Master Gardeners, by following the basic principles of sustainable gardening, we are already doing many of the “right” things.  Here’s a list of the qualifications needed to get certified. Your home garden may only need a few tweaks to qualify. 

Food Sources:  Seeds, berries, nectar, nuts, fruit, sap, pollen, foliage/twigs (Minimum requirement: 3)

Water Sources: Birdbath, shallow dish, lake, stream/river, seasonal pool, water garden/pond, butterfly puddling area, rain garden, spring, ocean (Minimum requirement: 1)

Places for Cover: Wooded area, bramble patch, ground cover, rock pile/wall, cave, roosting box, dense shrubs/thicket, evergreens, brush/log pile, burrow, meadow/prairie, water garden/pond (Minimum requirement: 2)

Places to Raise Young: Mature trees, meadow/prairie, nesting box, wetland, host plants for caterpillars, dead trees/snags, dense shrubs/thicket, water garden/pond, burrow, cave (Minimum requirement: 2)

Even if you aren’t looking to get certified, just reviewing these guidelines can open your eyes to the many things we can do to attract and protect wildlife.  Nothing beats looking out your window and seeing local wildlife thriving.  In my own garden, our homemade water feature (pictured) is frequented by sparrows, finches, jays, woodpeckers, quail and tree squirrels—often a mix of more than one species visiting at the same time! 

 If you want to learn more about the process, visit www.nwf.org/gardenforwildlife    You can certify directly online if you prefer. You need only fill out the application and pay the $20 application fee.  If you want to pay a little more and showcase your commitment, they offer personalized wall plaques, signs and flags.

Visit the Heritage Rose Garden (1334 Jackson Gate Road, Jackson) on Saturday, June 21, from 10 a.m. to noon, to get a first-hand look at all the many wildlife-friendly measures we have taken.  You can take a tour or just wander the garden on your own.  The growing collection of old roses and California natives are guaranteed to dazzle you!