Tips on garden design for birds?? (4 Viewers)

[bubobubo]

another great thing my little visitors like is when i throw bird seen straight on to the ground. The seed that is not eaten grows and i just let it grow. The amount of birds it attracts is incredible. I am also lucky to have planted a huge row of 'thuya' sorry guys not sure of it's scientific name, it is an evergreen. the birds love it and it looks like little appartments. I have put up a fence to protect my flower garden and it's residents from cats dogs etc. The birds enjoy this protection aswell, they also like to sit on the fence to make sure all is safe before dropping in. yesterday morning i had over 30 sparrows on the seed patch on the floor with two collard doves. In november i am going to pick up my 'ecological hedge' (around 12-15 bushes and trees, if i find my list i will note down the species but i will have to give the scientific name as the names i have are in french and i am not too acquainted with the english name (shameful i know). They will provide shelter and berries for them through the winter times. I can't have a pond as i have young children who are accident prone so i would rather not run the risk. But i have built up a pile of rocks and placed a big bowl with different size rocks inside to create different depths and the birds are always in there. As the house is very very old, and it underwent a little renovation on the outside, quite a few bricks are still missing here and there so there are holes in the wall. (the walls are almost 50cm thick). I checked on all the holes and they are all taken up and can see nests in nearly all of them. cute ain' it.
but i definately believe that shrubs and bushes are a brilliant alternative to fences.
bubobubo

 

[A CHAPLIN]

Bubobubo your garden sounds like heaven, you must let us see a photo of it, I am always looking for ideas.

Ann

 

[humminbird]

I say plant as many native species as possible . Let them grow wild and definateley create a pond. Also try a little flower meadow.
Anything you do to help the wildlife in your garden will be rewarding.
It is for me that's why i'm going to college to study a course mainly based on Habitat management.
All the best
Steven

I'll second the idea of diversity ("plant as many ...species as possible) and the emphasis on NATIVE. Nothing is more frustrating to me than getting a call from someone asking why they have nothing but "nuisance" birds and then, when I start exploring the idea of a garden with them hearing of nothing but exotic plants. Native plants are always the best choice in habitat restoration.
A good MOVING water source is a great idea too.

Mark
Bastrop, TX

 

[Nina P]

Can I make a reccommendation too, clip back fairly hard some hawthorns as they then become very thick and offer protection to tits, sparrows and wrens and robins, I have one I really cut back hard to provide dense thorny cover to protect all the little birds from cats and Hawks, it is constantly moving with life all day long.
I also planted many different hebes clost to feeding tables and they are alive with movement as I go out to fill the tables with food, I keep them well clipped too to make them bushier, and each year I cut out half the old wood to keep it within reach, and the flowers are particularly favoured by a little blue butterfly, I had twenty of them this year on one bush!
My favourite part of the garden is densely planted with many natives and a few exotics, with a grapevine growing through it, that seems to be the most popular bird environment all year round despite the lack of foliage during the winter, as then it has only vibrnum tinus and bowdennii and two hebes with cotoneaster joining it with one christmas tree, which gets covered in lights and food over the christmas period. The bullfinch loves to top that one and sing to his mate every spring. There is a pond there too but in dense growth it is rarely seen and access is near impossible, (kiddi proofed by thorny growth) so murder to cover in winter.
Good luck in choosing but most of all enjoy use too!