Despite the winter storm that just passed through Arizona, the calendar announced Tuesday that spring has officially sprung. This means it's time to grab the gardening gloves and weed-removal devices and get started on beautifying your landscape. One of our ongoing obsessions is to work with Mother Nature by planting native shrubs, flowering plants and trees where native wildlife can find a place to rest or make their nests. Local landscape architects, Arte Verde Landscape, are on the same page by helping clients create sustainable Certified Wildlife Habitats (certified by the National Wildlife Federation). Creating a habitat is fairly simple, even for the weekend gardener. The essential elements are to provide food, water, shade and a place for offspring to be raised. Andy Page, owner of Arte Verde says, "We're creating and helping our clients create environments for birds and rabbits, small wildlife, to have a safe haven in our desert environment. The bonus is experiencing the animals in a natural habitat from the comfort of your own yard. Imagine sitting on your patio watching hummingbirds or teaching children and grandchildren about the importance of creating sustainability for animals.