Grow a garden to attract birds. Gardening with specific plants and flowers can attract many varieties of birds. Wild birds take shelter in and eat the seeds of certain plants.
Birds can bring peace and tranquillity to our lives. Their songs fill the air with nature's music, and their presence adds color and beauty to our yards and gardens. They awaken our spirits in the early morning hours and help us to appreciate the start of a new day. Many people like to attract new species of birds to their yards as well as the usual varieties. Gardening to attract birds will bring more feathered friends than one ever thought possible.
"Gardening How-To", published by The National Home Gardening Club, in the article "For the Birds", which was written by Paul Peterson, suggests allowing seed producing flowers to remain available for birds throughout the year. It says that coneflowers and sedums will attract house finches, while cosmos and zinnias often attract juncos. Beautifully colored buntings like the seeds of aster, goldenrod, and thistle.
The same article suggests furnishing birds with a garden pond or a birdbath. Birdbaths come in all styles and sizes, and they can make a stunning addition to any garden. It goes on to say, that placing a birdbath in a shaded location will help minimize the amount of evaporation. Birds also feel more secure using a birdbath that is surrounded by plants, shrubbery, and trees, according to the article "For the Birds". This gives them a safe place to hide when threatened. The article also warns, that birdbaths and feeders should not be placed in areas where cats and other predators will be able to hide and sneak up on unsuspecting birds. It goes on to say, that a birdbath should be kept free from algae, bird droppings, and other debris. It can be sterilized using a mixture of four and one half cups of water and one half cup of liquid bleach. Be sure to thoroughly rinse the birdbath after cleaning.
"Gardening How-To" recommends flowers that will attract birds in each region of the United States. In the southeast some suggestions are winterberry, black cherry, rhododendrons, and Virginia creeper. A few recommendations for the northeast are flowering dogwood, eastern red cedar, wild strawberries, and wild rose. In the plains states consider planting cockspur hawthorn, sargent crab apple, common chokecherry, and western hemlock. Western red cedar, prickly pear cactus, golden current, and wintergreen will attract birds in the western desert and mountains, according to "Gardening How-To". Some suggestions for the west coast are mountain dogwood, California live oak, manzanita, and ninebark. If in doubt, check with your local garden center to see which of these plants will do well in your specific area.
