need ideas for bird garden in this area

FYI-The muddy area and hole are all fixed up now and the hose is gone..Just the stump of tree remains.
here is one side of front entryway-http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/CountryLisa/yard/DSCF0001.jpg

and here is the other side-The side that really needs help-http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/CountryLisa/yard/DSCF0002.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/CountryLisa/yard/DSCF0001.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/CountryLisa/yard/DSCF0002.jpg

I really had to think about this and look close! Is that a stump under the hose reel?? If it is, it looks pretty large! In that case, you can go one of two ways, work with the stump or have someone grind it out.

My thoughts go both ways too. You could actually make that your sitting area and put plants out by the fence or make that a nice garden with a seat elsewhere to view it. Initially I had thought an ornamental grass or shrub with berries would make a good foundation plant but I don't think you can work either in if that stump is as large and close to the house as it looks. In that case, you could go with more tall narrow plants behind it, a nice pedestal bird bath on the stump and lower plants in front of it, maybe even partially hiding it so the birds would feel safe.

It also looks like the area in front of the bed sees a lot of foot traffic. I'd consider expanding the bed out to there and putting in some pavers, gravel, mulch, something you could walk on and "kill two birds with one stone". Chuckle (I love birds!)

Do you have a picture from farther away? The area might also work/look nice with an arbor and bench or swing for viewing, That would depend on the area or your budget.

I really love watching the gold finches fight over the coneflowers and black eyed susans and it's fun to watch them sway on the flower heads of ornamental grasses too. :)

Boy, sharp eyes! Bad Seed!

I thought of holly bushes there, but some folks hate them and you would probably want them on both sides to balance. My robins like them, though and they are evergreen.

A purpley beautyberry http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=1&q=beautyberry&spell=1

would be pretty, but the birds hold off to eat them until there are no other choices, I think (that can be good, i guess). I wonder what bushes are on the other side of the door steps?

Coneflowers and black eyed susans are a classic and so comely by the door!

So many possibilities! What a fun project!

How about some nice bird loving bushes for the side that needs help. I'm sure others would have suggestions for ones that would be the right size for that area. You might also be able to tuck in a small evergreen so they would have cover.

LOL, I walked away from the puter. I know the Finches love Black Eyed Susans but their so invasive. Are the smaller types of Sunflowers invasive?

I would suggest some grasses as well. I find the birds like them.

There are some really cute dwarf sunflowers now!

Wanna laugh about BES? At my other house, I dug up a bunch and gave them to my neighbors. I traded them and maybe even sold a few. Then when I was preparing to move, I tossed thousands of them. Now I have none at my new house and room for them to eat an acre or two! LOL

The dark color of the Beautyberry would look great against the light color of the house.

I totally agree about the grasses! Just don't use Pennisetum Moudry unless you are a dedicated dead header! It sure looks neat but boy does it seed!

Garden, Do you have lots of other bird things in your backyard like a birdbath etc?

Pell;
I have several birdfeeders and a birdbath..I have several trees very close t the area I want to add to..
My husband doesn't want anymore tall trees or shrubs..
So I am looking for flowers that will bring color and birds t my yard..

Then I would definitely look into some of the dwarf sunflowers, coneflowers and maybe someone could suggest a good way to contain black eyed susan.

ok..cool

For me the finches(gold and house) fed the most on my cosmos, centaura dealbata and 'Green Wizard' rudbeckia during the growing season. I have plenty of other coneflowers for them that I think they'll use if their feeders run out in the winter. Hard to beat a birdbath, actually I see the most birds when I'm watering the lawn in the summer.

Oh, I forgot about the cosmos! The gold finches love those!

This is the bed at my neighbor's I maintain. It has the Cosmos,Black Eyed Susan and Persian Cornflower in it. They like to sit in the fence for shelter too, so maybe a smaller shrub(with fruit) would give them cover for you.