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RESTON, Va. — Small-space gardens, planted with native flowers and grasses, can support thousands of wildlife species and crucial pollinators. To celebrate Garden for Wildlife Month this May, the National Wildlife Federation is highlighting the outsized impact of growing native plants in containers and small outdoor spaces. This movement to prioritize native and wildlife-friendly plants can grow beyond traditional yards to include gardens on balconies, decks, courtyards, porches, and more.  

 “Each spring we see an increase of people turning to nature to make a difference just outside their door. Even container gardens full of native plants, especially keystone species, can turn a window box into an essential habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. These spaces also provide a calming, beautiful haven for people,” said Mary Phillips, head of native plant habitat strategy at National Wildlife Federation. “Outdoor spaces like patios, balconies, or porches offer unique opportunities to create pockets of green space with high impact for wildlife, regardless of how much growing room there is.” 

. Of that, are apartment rentals, where outdoor access is likely to include spaces like balconies, courtyards, or patios. A links urban biodiversity to human health and well-being—so helping sustain thriving ecosystems, even in small spaces, means supporting our own communities, too. 

While native plants in healthy wildlife gardens provide food sources like berries and insects for a wide variety of bird species, small space gardening often means that you don’t have larger necessities like mature trees to provide nesting sites and cover for wildlife. Additions like bird feeders, nesting boxes, and bee houses can go far in expanding the habitat elements that your garden provides.

For the fifth year, is the National Wildlife Federation’s Certified Wildlife Habitat® Champion. Together, we hope to spread the word and reach an additional 17,000 new habitat gardens in 2025. to see if you already have all the habitat essentials. 

Learn how to get started with your small space garden by reading our guide or using the tips below.

• Prioritize Keystone species: Keystone plants are named as such due to their importance in an ecosystem, much like an actual “keystone” is an essential part of an arch. These plants serve as a host plant for not just one, but many species of insects. Learn more about keystone native plants by ecoregion.
• Use Containers: The benefit of container gardening is that you’re not just limited to planting directly into the earth. If you have a small space and some of it is paved, you can maximize your gardening space by using containers. Learn more about native plant container gardening and find DIY container garden native plant collections online to jumpstart your habitat.
• Plant Vertically: Get creative and find ways to use your vertical space. Try out window boxes, hanging baskets, and even shelves to maximize your outdoor space. Use trellises to train climbing plants such as native honeysuckles and clematis that can double as a privacy screen for your home. Wildlife that will benefit from these plants can fly or climb to your vertical garden spaces.
• Plant for Multi-Season Interest: To provide the most benefit for these wildlife species, select a variety of native plants that have different bloom times. Consider successional blooms in your plant selections for spring, summer, and fall to ensure there is always something blooming in your garden for the pollinators.
• Add a Shrub or Small Tree: These woody plants can offer great hiding spaces and nesting sites for many wildlife species. While certain shrubs and trees will simply be too big for a small garden, you may have luck with some of the smaller species that tend to grow on the edges of forests, like a redbud, spicebush, or dogwood.
• Don’t Forget Water: Water is a habitat element that wildlife needs to survive. Luckily, it doesn’t need to be big to have an impact and can be anything from a birdbath or butterfly puddling dish to a container water garden.