I would like to ask a question (for anyone and everyone who is willing to respond!) - If you were planting a garden to attract birds (not ONLY hummers), what would you plant? I need some tree, shrubbery, and perennial ideas. What has worked for you personally? Any in particular that you have found attract birds year round? I am in PA and we have 4 very definite seasons.
Thanks for your help! I wish I had a beautiful picture to add to my post! :)
Question about Attracting Birds
I have Hawthornes, Beauty Berry, Mulberry, Nandinas, Pyracantha, Honeysuckle, Hamelia Patens, Red Buckeye, Maples, Cherry, Crab Apple, Loquat, Figs, Serviceberry, Flying Sumac, wild blackberry and raspberry planted in my wildlife habitat. All produce fruits or berries for them. Hummers love the Red Buckeye, Hamelia Patens, and honeysuckle when in bloom. Orioles will drink nectar from the honeysuckle
Thanks, Donna! I appreciate your taking the time to write! It will help us to plan our bird garden.
oops almost any flowering perennial works too and for annuals zinnia's , orange cosmos, and salvia coccinea are big favorites. Butterflies are more attracted to purple so I've read. I think different one like different things. Gulf Frits stayed on my Mexican Flame vine and then after the Milkweeds were put in the GH the Monarch coming in stayed on it. My plants are full of cats in there lol. Have one chrysilis so far. Checking it daily in hopes of seeing it hatch. If you send me a self stamped address bubble envelope I will send you an assortment of my seeds for butterflies and hummers. My addy is in the exchange. Please include a note as to what it is for so i don't forget. If you can't get in just e-mail me
I would contact my local native-plants-only nursery and ask for something that is native to my area and attracts birds. In my case, it would be nandina (which is an exotic, invasive pest), or something like that. I have these annoying (exotic, invasive pest) camphor trees which produce these ugly dark purple berries... that the mourning doves just love. So they can eat all they want as long as they don't poop the seeds back into my yard! (I hate camphor trees!)
I would also go to google and search on "bird attracting plants." And then you'll have too much information and won't even know what to do with it all.
Allie, you might enjoy planting a few liatris bulbs --a little different and the gold finches (and other birds) seem to like them a lot. I thought this link had a some cute ideas for a bird garden and it mentions a nice range of flowers popular with the birds, too.
http://www.grownative.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=landscaping.finchfeast
or this page
http://www.grownative.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=landscaping.landsplans
Good luck. t.
This message was edited Jan 7, 2005 5:37 PM
Thanks, this is a really neat site.