Ornamental gardening, "stay-cations," and "backyard Living" are at an all-time high in popularity.  It seems that, in our high-tech society, everyone wants to get "outside," reconnect with nature, and enjoy the simpler low-tech pleasures.  Nothing is better than sitting in a backyard by a water garden and watching the birds and butterflies at play.  Many different types of birds visit our garden on any given day and in the summertime the butterflies abound!  They eat, play, nest and bathe. And in the process we (and neighbors that walk by our front-yard stream), get to enjoy the gifts of nature.

​Like ALL living things, these beneficial creatures need certain basic things to live and prosper: food, water, shelter, and places to raise young.  If you provide these things, you will see your new friends moving in almost overnight.

​Want to increase the number of birds and butterflies in your landscape?  Here are some brief hints:  

​Plant some native trees, shrubs and flowers. Using the right plants will provide places for shelter, nesting and food & will add beauty to your landscape.  The great thing is that many of the plants that shelter and feed the birds and butterflies are native plants.  Most of these natives are long-lived, drought hardy, and insect and disease resistant.  

​Put in a living water feature.  We must ALL have water to live.  Your water feature can be as simple as a bird bath or as large as a custom re-circulating waterfall, water garden, or rainwater harvesting system.  The main thing to remember is that birds like shallow water for bathing and drinking (2″ to 4″) butterflies like a “seep.”  Think about your overall landscape design and get some water in the mix!  As a bonus, your kids/grandkids will really engage with a water garden. 

​Put up some Feeders.  Putting up a few feeders will almost immediately draw in some new visitors.  Platform feeder are great for black oil sunflower seeds, fruit, bread, nuts, and more. Tube feeders and socks are great for black thistle (a Finch favorite).  A large hopper-type feeder is great for general feeding and can be filled every few days with an inexpensive song bird mix. Suet feeders are great and you can hang or mount them almost anywhere.  AND don’t forget the Hummingbirds!  There are even Butterfly feeders that you can put nectar and fresh fruit in to attract and feed butterflies.  Spread your feeders out a bit around your outdoor living/viewing area.  It will give you multiple viewing opportunities and it will give the birds a bit of room to move around.

​Put up some bird and butterfly houses.  Some birds require housing to get their attention! Some birds are particular on the placement, color and construction of these houses, so do some research on the birds in the area and what they like.  If you get it right, you will be blessed with some AWESOME birds that will eat their weight in insects and will thrill you daily with their beauty and grace.  And don’t forget the butterflies!  A butterfly house makes for a great conversation piece and is a really unique addition to your garden.

​Want to help your environment and make your little critters healthier and happier?  Think organic!  Pesticides and other garden chemicals are VERY harmful to birds and beneficial Insects!  It’s not easy being green, BUT it’s not that hard either.  Try to use organic alternatives like neem oil, insecticidal soap, dormant oil and non-chemical fertilizers (or, better yet, compost).  You will notice a difference in the quality of your garden AND in the quality of your life!

​Enjoying the abundance of nature is awesome and it’s not all that difficult!  In fact, if you do some of these things, you will see an immediate increase in the number of birds, butterflies and beneficial insects in your landscape. These beneficial creatures will make your flowers more beautiful, your vegetables more productive, and your Life more abundant!

This is a question that comes up a lot. And if you ask 5 different realtors their opinion on how water features affect property values, you'll get 5 different answers.
​First and foremost, if you're doing a home improvement, it should add to YOUR enjoyment and YOUR quality of life. So, would YOU enjoy a well-built easy-to-maintain living water feature?
​Here's our take on the subject of how Phoenix property values might be affected by a pond or water feature:

​Did you know that 45% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, but only about 8% of them actually keep their resolutions? So, no pressure, but we thought we might give you a bit of inspiration, in case you're having difficulty coming up with your own.

​Here are 5 resolutions for you to consider making this year that are sure to improve your pondering experience!

​When you want to enjoy your water feature as the sun begins to set, outdoor lighting is a must. And here in Phoenix, nighttime is about the only time we can be outside in the summer! Most people think to add landscape lighting around a deck or patio or pathway, but neglect the water feature for optimal nighttime viewing. Here are some pretty backyard lighting ideas for your pond, waterfall, or fountain.
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No matter what type of water feature you have, you can enhance its beauty well into the evening hours with the addition of pond and garden lighting.
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Ecosystem ponds can be gorgeous and low maintenance. They provide hours of pleasure, while requiring only minutes per week of care. But they have their drawbacks and they’re not for everyone.
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Here are the 5 biggest drawbacks to having an ecosystem pond that we hear about:

1. The very biggest drawback is that they require patience. Patience to allow the plants to mature. Patience to get the fish friendly enough to eat out of your hand. Patience to get the water “chemistry” balanced. Just lots of patience sometimes. You know how God created the world in 7 days? Yeah, not so much with ecosystem ponds. However, anyone who has persevered through the process will tell you that they’re sure glad they did! But if you’re not a patient person, and you’re looking for instant gratification, an ecosystem pond is not for you.
2. Another drawback is the type of maintenance that an ecosystem pond requires. It’s not just tossing in a chlorine tablet, skimming the surface, and calling it Bueno. During the summer months, when the aquatic plants are growing most aggressively, you have to garden it. You have to trim off dead leaves. You have to divide the plants when they get too big. Basically, you have to make sure that the plants don’t eat the pond. And you have to empty the skimmer basket about once in a while, and give it a quick rinse. If you ignore an ecosystem pond for too long, it can become a big ol’ mess. There are pond maintenance programs provided by reputable companies, though, to help you out.
3. You gotta have fish. An ecosystem pond is not complete without fish. That can be either Koi or goldish, or in some cases game fish. The fish are part of the nitrogen cycle required to keep an ecosystem pond balanced. You don’t have to feed the fish if you don’t want to. But now that they’re there, you probably will. And you’ll probably name them. And you’ll probably now spend a few hours sitting by the pond watching them. That’s going to take time away from some other hobby or TV show, probably. Darn it!
4. If you build it, they will come. Wildlife is naturally attracted to water, and if you have organic water in your yard, they will come in droves! If you’re not looking to attract native and migratory bird life, bunnies, quail, and lizards, don’t get an ecosystem pond. If you dislike the idea of looking out your window and seeing some kind of wildlife in your yard (maybe even the occasional bobcat or coyote), then an ecosystem pond will pose a real problem for you.
5. Algae is a given and, again, part of the ecosystem in some ways. Once the pond matures, the algae production will be greatly reduced. But until then, you may have to fight algae. A natural green fuzz on the rocks is completely normal, and actually helps filter the water to keep it crystal clear. But string (filamentatious) algae can become unsightly for some people. During the “winter” months here in Phoenix, we tend to get an algae bloom instead of freezing over. And in the spring, algae is sometimes the first weed in the garden. There are natural products to combat algae, and it makes great compost, if you’re into that sort of thing. But, again, you will have some algae, so if that thought completely wigs you out, or if you prefer a more sterile outdoor environment, an ecosystem pond is probably not for you.

All that being said, we think ecosystem ponds are worth it!