Creating a Backyard Habitat: Native Plants That Support Birds, Butterflies & Pollinators

A beautiful garden can be more than something we enjoy, it can become an important habitat for the wildlife around us.

Throughout the summer months, our yards, balconies, and gardens provide valuable resources for birds, butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. By choosing plants that naturally belong in our region, we can help support the species that have evolved alongside them.

Ruby-throated hummingbird with Cardinal Flower. Photo by Shayna Hartley.

Why Choose Native Plants?

Native plants are adapted to local conditions and provide the food sources many insects and animals rely on.

While some ornamental plants may look beautiful, they don’t always provide the same benefits for wildlife. Native plants can offer nectar for pollinators, seeds for birds, shelter for insects, and host plants where butterflies can lay their eggs.

Creating habitat doesn’t mean completely redesigning your yard, even adding a few native species can make a difference.

Milkweed: A Must-Have for Monarchs

Few plants tell a conservation story quite like milkweed.

Monarch butterflies rely on milkweed because it is the only plant their caterpillars can eat. Adult Monarchs will visit many different flowers for nectar, but females must find milkweed plants when it’s time to lay their eggs so that the caterpillars can hatch and feed.

Adding milkweed to your garden helps provide the next generation of Monarchs with the food they need to grow.

Monarch Butterfly on Swamp Milkweed. Photo by Shayna Hartley. 

Cardinal Flower: A Favourite for Hummingbirds

With its striking red blooms, Cardinal Flower is a standout in any garden — and hummingbirds agree.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are especially attracted to tubular flowers where they can access nectar with their long bills and tongues. Adding nectar-rich native flowers helps support hummingbirds alongside keeping clean, fresh nectar feeders available.

Rbuy-throated hummingbird with Cardinal Flower. Photo by Shayna Hartley. 

Black-eyed Susan: A Summer Classic

Bright, cheerful, and loved by pollinators, Black-eyed Susans are a wonderful addition to a wildlife-friendly garden.

Their flowers attract butterflies and beneficial insects throughout the summer, while seed heads left standing later in the season can provide food opportunities for birds.

Black-eyed susan. Photo by Kristen Martyn. 

Don’t Forget the Insects

A bird-friendly garden starts with an insect-friendly garden.

Many nesting birds rely heavily on insects to feed their young. Caterpillars, flies, beetles, and other insects provide the protein growing chicks need during the busy nesting season.

By supporting native plants, you’re helping support the entire food web.

Let Your Garden Get a Little Wild

Wildlife doesn’t need perfection.

Leaving some leaves, reducing pesticide use, providing water, and allowing parts of your garden to grow naturally can create important spaces for insects and other small creatures.

Those insects then support birds, bats, amphibians, and countless other species.

Small Changes Create Big Impact

Whether you plant one pot of native flowers or transform an entire garden bed, every habitat space matters.

This summer, take a closer look at your outdoor space. You may be surprised how quickly wildlife finds the resources you provide.

Not sure where to start? Visit BirdGardens.ca

Once your plants are in the ground, sit back and enjoy the view!

Warmly, 

Heather