Gardening For The Birds
By Amanda Shepard
Birds are some of the most fascinating creatures to watch in the garden. Their chirps are often the first sign that spring has arrived, and nothing is better than sitting back and enjoying the sounds of nature in your yard. There are several ways to create an environment that will attract and help our winged friends! Plant a garden that provides food and shelter for birds to create a beneficial, lively habitat in your own outdoor space.
How To Find The Right Plants For Your Bird Garden
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6 Tips For A Bird-Friendly Garden
- Clean WaterProvide a clean source of water for birds. The sight and sounds of moving water in bird baths or water features will attract birds much more effectively than standing water, and helps keep the water clean. Water only needs to be a couple of inches deep for drinking and preening.
- Organic PracticesWhen creating your bird habitat, only use organic fertilizers and skip herbicides and pesticides. This is essential for providing safe foods for birds. Instead of trying to prevent bugs in your garden, welcome them as delicious food for your winged friends.
- Habitat & ShelterPlant ornamental grasses, shrubs, and small trees to provide shelter for birds. These perennials also provide habitat for insects, which offer another food source for birds -- especially when raising their young. Providing hiding and nesting places for birds protects them, and makes your garden very attractive to visiting wildlife.
- Bird Houses & Bird FeedersBird houses are a wonderful way of attracting a nesting pair of birds. Make sure to match the house style and entry hole to the type of bird you wish to attract. Be sure to prevent predators and pests from taking over, for example, by including a baffle on the pole to keep critters out of your birdhouse.
- Nesting MaterialLeave plant standing through the fall and winter, or if you cut them down, leave the plant material in place. Seeds provide a food source for birds, and stems provide nesting materials. Plant material also makes good insect habitat, another important food source for birds.
- BinocularsSome of the best bird-watching can happen right from the comfort of your window. Enjoy watching and listening to your garden visitors!
Planting Wildflowers For Birds
Wildflowers will provide both nourishment and shelter for birds, as well as provide a gorgeous show for you, both with their beautiful blooms and having the delight of watching the birds outside your window.
- When planting wildflowers that will attract and feed birds, look for flowers that form large seedheads, such as Sunflowers, Echinacea, and Black Eyed Susan. This enables birds to easily snack on seeds when they ripen without struggling to break seed pods open.
- Once flowers have finished blooming for the season, you can leave plants standing, or cut everything down and leave the debris on the ground. Leaving plant material over the winter will offer pollinator habitat, and provide material for birds to use in building shelter and nests.
Planting Perennials For Birds
You can indulge in a beautiful garden filled with bird-friendly plants! Hardy perennials, including ornamental grasses, shrubs, and flowering plants, all play important roles in creating a bird friendly garden.
We recommend native plants to provide nectar, nourishing seeds, and delectable fruits for feathered friends. Native plants have evolved in partnership with the wildlife around them over centuries, building relationships that sustain each other in a resilient ecosystem. Native plants will help attract beneficial insects and pollinators, which keep your garden healthy while providing essential protein-rich food sources for birds!
- A good strategy for planting bird habitat is to create a layered garden.
- Mix larger, denser plants and trees with smaller varieties to provide birds with shelter and safety. Planting perennials with different heights, densities, and foliage will help to not only provide birds with shelter and nourishment, but will attract a wider range of bird types.
- Try planting shrubs such as Butterfly Bushes, Hydrangea, and Hibiscus with ornamental grasses such as Fountain Grass, Maiden Grass, or Pampas Grass.
- Layer in flowers such as Aster, Bee Balm, Gaillardia, Sedum, and Yarrow.
How To Find The Right Plants For Your Bird Garden
Pre-Planned Gardens & Collections Designed For Birds
New To Gardening? Our Pre-Planned Gardens and Collections are the perfect way to bring professional garden design to your home. Plant once, and enjoy watching your garden bloom with visits from your feathered neighbors.
Our Curb Appeal Ornamental Grass Collection is an easy way to refresh the appearance of your home or garden. Low-maintenance grasses provide year-round visual interest and dynamic te...
Learn MoreCurb Appeal Ornamental Grass Collection Curb Appeal Ornamental Grass Collection$169.98 Sale $110.49Per Collection of 9Our Curb Appeal Ornamental Grass Collection is an easy way to refresh the appearance of your home or garden. Low-maintenance grasses provide year-round visual interest and dynamic texture suitable for any home style, from modern to traditional. This grass collection looks polished and sophisticated on its own or when planted to complement and fill in flower gardens. Collection of 9 plants.Learn More
Wildflowers For Supporting Local Pollinators
If you'd like your garden to buzz and hum with birds and pollinators, grow the plants that they're naturally drawn to. Birds eat fruit, nectar, seeds, and insects such as moths and caterpillars. Our Regional Pollinator Wildflower Mixes feature flowers that are known to attract birds and beneficial insects in your area.
Plant your support for the disappearing pollinator population in your own backyard with our Northeast Pollinator Mix. This easy-to-grow blend is designed to provide food and habitat ...
Learn MoreNortheast Pollinator Wildflower Seed Mix Northeast Pollinator Wildflower Seed MixAs low as $14.95Per 1/4 PoundPlant your support for the disappearing pollinator population in your own backyard with our Northeast Pollinator Mix. This easy-to-grow blend is designed to provide food and habitat to northeastern pollinators throughout the length of the growing season. Annual and perennial wildflowers like New England Aster, Black Eyed Susan, Milkweed, Coreopsis and Cosmos provide pollen, nectar and shelter for hundreds of important species, including Monarch butterflies and native bees. Contains only 100% pure, non-GMO and neonicotinoid-free seeds, best for planting in CT, DE, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT, WV, QC and the Eastern Townships. Guaranteed to grow.Learn MoreAttract and support pollinators found in the southeast all season long with the Southeast Pollinator Wildflower Seed Mix. Colorful favorites like Clasping Coneflower, Sulphur Cosmos,...
Learn MoreSoutheast Pollinator Wildflower Seed Mix Southeast Pollinator Wildflower Seed MixAs low as $14.95Per 1/4 PoundAttract and support pollinators found in the southeast all season long with the Southeast Pollinator Wildflower Seed Mix. Colorful favorites like Clasping Coneflower, Sulphur Cosmos, Butterfly Weed, and Red Poppy are easy to grow and provide habitat and breeding grounds for a variety of pollinators. This mix contains 100% pure, non-GMO, neonicotinoid-free seeds for planting in: AL, AR, DC, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, Eastern TX and VA.Learn MoreOur Midwest Pollinator Mix contains a blend of 20 wildflowers that provide crucial habitat and food for pollinators found in the midwest. Providing colorful season-long blooms in the...
Learn MoreMidwest Pollinator Wildflower Seed Mix Midwest Pollinator Wildflower Seed MixAs low as $14.95Per 1/4 PoundOur Midwest Pollinator Mix contains a blend of 20 wildflowers that provide crucial habitat and food for pollinators found in the midwest. Providing colorful season-long blooms in the first year and for years to come, this mix contains prairie perennials like Purple Coneflower, Butterfly Weed and Black-Eyed Susan, along with nectar-rich annuals like Red Poppy and Lemon Mint. Best for planting in: IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, NE, OH, WI and Ontario. We’re proud to only sell 100% pure, non-GMO and neonicotinoid-free seeds, all guaranteed to grow.Learn MorePlant low-maintenance wildflowers in your garden or meadow to help our disappearing pollinator population. Our Western Pollinator Mix is made up of 16 easy-to-grow wildflowers that p...
Learn MoreWestern Pollinator Wildflower Seed Mix Western Pollinator Wildflower Seed MixAs low as $14.95Per 1/4 PoundPlant low-maintenance wildflowers in your garden or meadow to help our disappearing pollinator population. Our Western Pollinator Mix is made up of 16 easy-to-grow wildflowers that provide show-stopping color in the first season and for years to come, helping to attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Perfect for the expert or novice garden alike, this colorful mixture includes favorites such as Cosmos, California Poppy and Red Poppy. All of the seed we handle at American Meadows is non-GMO, neonicotinoid-free and guaranteed to grow.Learn More