I wanted to put a habitat sign in my front yard to let neighbors know what I’ve been up to with all the lawn removal and planting activity. I finally decided on this one. It is sturdy metal, nine inches wide, two holes for mounting, and covers the basics – bird & pollinator habitat, pesticide free. I bought it from the Etsy website for $29. A wooden stake costs extra. I just got the sign and mounted it on a spare perforated shelving system rod left by the former owner of my house. Etsy offers a number of other habitat signs, including ones like mine with a Cardinal or Blue Jay.
https://www.etsy.com/market/pollinator_habitat_sign
I was pleased that my sign was made in Portland, Oregon, my home state. The company, Victory Gardens of Tomorrow, has many other habitat signs for $28. For example: ‘Native Plants use Less Water’ and ‘This is a Protected Wildlife Tree’ signs. The company says their products are: ‘Made of a composite aluminum and polyethylene, and printed with a hard-cured ink, this durable sign will last for years outside and in the weather.’
https://www.victorygardenoftomorrow.com/gardensigns-1
The Xerces Society, which focuses on protecting native bees and other pollinating insects, has habitat signs featuring flowers, bees and butterflies. They also have a ‘Leave the Leaves’ sign. At $59 each, the signs are pricey, but they are considered a donation to Xerces, and include a one year membership.
https://gifts.xerces.org/collections/all-products
From the Xerces website:
‘Support conservation and spread the word about the importance of pollinators by displaying this sign in your yard. Produced by the Xerces Society, this durable 9″ x 10″ sturdy sign is designed for outdoor use. You can hang it in your garden, on your farm, in a park, or gift it to a friend. The sign has two holes for hanging, but does not include a post or hardware. You will also receive Xerces member benefits for one-year from the date of your donation.’
There are cheaper ways to go. Pollinator.org has free downloadable pdfs of a couple of habitat signs that you can have printed and laminated.
https://www.pollinator.org/garden-signs
From their website:
‘Show your community that your garden is supporting pollinators! Choose one of the designs below and download for FREE. You can even put your own logo in the sign with a pdf editor. Send the design file to your local print shop, and place in your garden to show that the flowers you've planted are providing bees, butterflies, and other important pollinators with the pollen and nectar they need to survive and thrive.’
Or, you could design your own sign.
The one below, posted in a yard along my neighborhood walking route, says it all.
Have you added a habitat sign to your garden, know of other sources for these signs, or seen habitat signs in yards where you live?