We've been in our house for a couple years now and have been focused on fixing up the backyard this spring/summer. We had a large tree along the back fence that was dead and we recently had it topped off. As you can see in the pictures, it is still about 15ft tall. The area around it is mostly clover, but we are slowly planning to make it into a wild garden, with native plants, wildflowers, etc. We would love to make the tree into something for the wildlife in our backyard, possibly nesting boxes/bird houses, or feeders. We live in the midwest and have birds, squirrels, possums, rabbits, raccoons, skunks, and cats, but we also have a lot of different insects. 

We want to make our wild garden a welcoming and safe place for bees and butterflies to eat and drink and rest, but we also want the birds that already frequent our backyard to thrive. Does anyone have any tips or safety issues we should consider to keep the animals and insects safe and happy? I'm doing a lot of research, but feedback from people with experience is always the best!

Also any suggestions or ideas for feeders, bird houses/boxes/perches, shelter for wildlife, tips on creating wild gardens, attracting bees and butterflies, and anything else you want to share would be so appreciated. We love having our wildlife around and want to make our backyard a sanctuary for them!

Tips or ideas for creating our wild garden?