Her garden is a Certified Wildlife Habitat
She’s happy in her garden.
On summer nights, there’s no place Susan Bliss of Waterville would rather be than sitting in her 25’ x 50’ garden, visiting with family members or friends, and watching critters scurry, flutter, and hop around her blooming plants.
“It’s rewarding to see more and more bees, butterflies, and birds,” she stated. “It’s so peaceful, and right at dusk is when the hummingbird moths come. They’re amazing to watch.”
The little, lawn-turned-nature refuge was certified as a Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation last summer.
Bliss earned the prestigious designation for her garden by providing wildlife with the necessary food, water, cover, and places to raise their young, and by following sustainable practices.
“I decided to get it certified because having the certification might help answer questions or field any negative comments from people who don’t understand what I’m doing here,” she explained. “I’m just trying to do what I can to help nature… It’s become my hobby.”
Susan and her husband, Bud, purchased their home at the far west end of Waterville’s Main Street 15 years ago. Like most yards in the neighborhood, theirs was good-sized and grassy.
“It was overgrown, but we just mowed it--like everyone else--up until about five years ago,” Bliss explained. “That’s when I started a little...
To see more on this story pick up the July 29, 2021 print edition of the LifeEnterprise.