How to Design a Wildlife-Friendly Landscape in Bettendorf

A thoughtfully designed garden for wildlife hums with life—from butterflies lazily landing on wild bergamot to goldfinches darting between elderberries. Watching bees buzz between blooms or a cardinal splash in a birdbath offers a kind of joy that’s hard to match. The beauty of it? You don’t have to sacrifice structure or style to create this kind of living landscape. In fact, a wildlife-friendly yard brings deeper color, movement, and meaning to your outdoor space.

If you’ve never thought about gardening for wildlife before, this might be the most rewarding change you make to your landscape. You’ll learn how to attract pollinators and birds with simple design changes, native plants, and sustainable choices that create a low-maintenance, biodiverse yard.

Start with Native Plants—Nature’s VIP Buffet

Native plants are the bedrock of any wildlife-supporting landscape. They’ve co-evolved with local insects and animals, making them the best food source for pollinators and birds alike. When you plant natives, you’re opening a buffet for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and songbirds—without needing to lift a finger to maintain exotic species that don’t belong.

In Bettendorf, Iowa, native plant heroes include:

• Purple coneflower (Echinacea) – a nectar-rich magnet for butterflies and bumblebees.
  

• Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) – beloved by bees, hummingbirds, and even the occasional curious moth.
  

• Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) – essential for monarch caterpillars and a knockout in the garden.
  

• Serviceberry shrubs (Amelanchier alnifolia) – provide early flowers for bees and sweet berries for birds.
  

• Oak and dogwood trees – oaks in particular support hundreds of species of caterpillars, which are crucial bird food during nesting season.
  

Tip: Group plants in clusters of 3–5 or more. This not only looks intentional and stunning but also helps pollinators forage more efficiently.

Design with Layers to Welcome All Kinds of Wildlife

Nature doesn’t do monoculture. It builds communities—layered ones. A single-layer lawn is like a ghost town to wildlife, but a multi-layered garden is a bustling metropolis. Design your landscape with layers to offer shelter, food, and nesting spots for a variety of species.

Think of it like this:

• Ground layer: Plants like golden alexander and creeping phlox provide nectar and shelter for beetles and ground-nesting bees.
  

• Mid-layer: Joe-Pye weed, bee balm, and Black-eyed Susans offer structure and serve as nectar-rich waystations.
  

• Upper canopy: Elderberry, serviceberry, and native trees like redbud and oak become nesting spots, perches, and food sources for birds.
  

Example: A low-growing carpet of golden alexander, a midsize grouping of Joe-Pye weed, and a backdrop of elderberry shrubs creates food and habitat for everything from native bees to nesting chickadees.

This kind of layered design doesn’t just support biodiversity—it creates year-round visual interest with minimal maintenance.

Add Water Without Digging a Pond

Water is life. From birds to butterflies, every species in your backyard habitat needs clean, accessible water. But don’t worry—you don’t need a pond or elaborate system. A few clever additions go a long way.

Here’s how to incorporate water easily:

• Birdbaths: Choose shallow models and add pebbles or flat stones so bees and butterflies can safely land.
  

• Shallow saucers: Place a terracotta saucer filled with water in a quiet spot—perfect for butterflies to drink and ‘puddle’ in.
  

• Mini fountains: Recirculating tabletop fountains are soothing for humans and useful for wildlife.
  

Pro Tip: Refresh the water every couple of days and scrub the surfaces weekly to prevent algae and mosquito breeding.

Create Safe Spaces with Natural Elements

Wildlife needs more than just food and water—they need shelter. And sometimes, the “messy” parts of a garden are the most important features for wildlife.

Add natural elements like:

• Rock piles or stacked logs: These provide cool shelter for toads, salamanders, and beneficial insects like ground beetles.
  

• Brush piles: Wrens and sparrows love these for cover and foraging.
  

• Nesting boxes: Bluebirds, wrens, and chickadees readily use boxes, especially when placed near native plantings.
  

• Bee hotels: Solitary bees—some of the most efficient pollinators—will nest in drilled wood blocks or bamboo tubes.
  

Leaving fall leaves, hollow stems, and even small patches of bare soil helps overwintering insects survive and return in spring. It may feel untidy, but nature prefers it that way.

Go Easy on the Chemicals

If you want your garden to be buzzing with life, you have to go easy on the stuff that kills life. Even small amounts of pesticides or herbicides can cause major disruptions to pollinators and birds, especially when chemicals build up in the soil or water.

Here are some natural alternatives:

• Neem oil: Effective against aphids and whiteflies without harming beneficial insects.
  

• Companion planting: Marigolds repel nematodes, basil deters hornworms, and nasturtiums lure aphids away from your veggies.
  

• Hand-picking: Especially with large pests like tomato hornworms or Japanese beetles, it’s fast and effective.
  

Keeping your garden chemical-free—or at least chemical-light—creates a safer haven for the creatures you’re trying to attract.

Make It Kid-Friendly

There’s no better classroom than the garden. Whether you’re homeschooling, encouraging curiosity, or just trying to keep kids off screens, a wildlife garden is a goldmine for learning.

Ideas to make your garden irresistible to kids:

• Butterfly puddling stations: A shallow dish with mud, water, and a pinch of salt will draw in butterflies for an up-close science moment.
  

• DIY bee hotels: A bundle of hollow plant stems or drilled wood blocks lets kids observe bees laying their eggs.
  

• Observation stations: A pair of binoculars and a nature journal can turn morning birdwatching into a daily ritual.
  

This kind of backyard not only supports pollinators and birds—it supports childhood wonder and exploration.

Your Backyard, Reimagined

Creating a garden for wildlife doesn’t require a total overhaul. It begins with small, intentional choices that build over time—swapping a plant here, leaving a log pile there. With each native bloom or butterfly visitor, you’ll see your yard come alive.

This kind of wildlife-friendly landscaping Bettendorf, Iowa homeowners can feel proud of isn’t about rewilding your entire yard—it’s about inviting the natural world back in, one square foot at a time. It’s sustainable, beautiful, and deeply satisfying.

Even the simplest additions—like a native shrub or clean birdbath—can start a ripple effect of biodiversity. And in return, you’ll enjoy a garden that hums, chirps, flutters, and glows with the life it supports.

Whether you’re a retiree enjoying your morning coffee with the birds, a parent watching a monarch land beside your child, or a weekend gardener planting for pollinators, this transformation is for you.

Let your next garden project be one that gives back—to the environment, your community, and your soul.

Ready to make your garden a haven for pollinators and birds? Visit Wallace’s Garden Center for native plants, birdbaths, bee hotels, and all the tools you need to create a backyard ecosystem that buzzes with life.