4
sweet bay magnolia (Magnolia
virginiana), mulberry (Morus
rubra), and mountain ash
(Sorbus americana).
Shrubs create still other
levels in the landscape, and
ours have been chosen primarily
for the berries that they
produce. Some will persist into
winter to provide valuable cold-
weather food for wildlife.
Vines are another valuable
resource for berries, nectar, and
nesting sites. Grapes are shown
covering an arbor, but if you
have a fence, dead trees, or
trellises you can attract
hummingbirds with coral
honeysuckle (Lonicera
sempervirens), yellow jasmine
(Gelsemium sempervirens), or
cross vine (Bignonia
capreolata).
When it comes to flowers, the
choices are nearly limitless.
Depending on the amount of
time that you want to spend on
your garden, you can choose
annuals, which die back in
winter, or perennials which come
back every year. Many flowers
are especially attractive to
butterflies and hummingbirds,
while others have seedheads
that will attract songbirds.
Try Wildflowers
One of the best ways to
attract a variety of wildlife is to
plant a wildflower meadow,
especially if you include native
warm season grasses. There are
seed mixtures for every climate
zone, and you will be amazed by
the changing picture of color
and movement that a meadow
provides.
Since wildflower meadows are
mowed only once a year, be sure
that there are no zoning
restrictions where you live.
Adding paths, fences, and
benches to the “wilder" part of
a landscape can make it look
more groomed and acceptable
to neighbors used to a
manicured yard.
Growing your own vegetables
is satisfying on many levels.
There is joy in working a garden
that produces fresh food for
your family.
If you devote part of that
space to sunflowers
(Helianthus), you will delight
birds of all kinds.
Black-eyed Susans
(Rudbeckia) and goldenrod
(Solidago) also have seedheads
that will attract feathered
visitors to your yard.
Set Up Feeding Station
When planning for birds, save
space for feeders of different
kinds and place them at
different heights. Black oil
sunflower seed is the favorite
all-around food, but there are
other types of seed and
nectars that are also popular.
There are many field guides
available in your library or
bookstore that can provide
information on the birds that
you want to attract, as well as
other wildlife and the plants
that grow in your backyard
habitat.
Many birds have specific
nesting requirements, so nest
boxes should be built for a
particular species and mounted
appropriately. With the decline
in natural nesting cavities,
these boxes are important.
Bluebirds in particular have
been brought back from a severe
decline in numbers by the
increase in man-made nest
boxes.
Dirt is Good
Adding grit and dust areas
nearby may not sound very
“By paying more
attention to how
nature does things, we
can enrich our gardens
with some of the grace
and endurance of wild
places while being
kinder to the
environment and less
wasteful of nature’s
resources and our own
efforts."
– Roger Holmes
Natural Gardening
“A good hollow tree
is almost worth its
weight in wildlife and
is a resource well
worth preserving."
– Roger Holmes
Natural Gardening
