Planning and planting the garden guide

How can I attract a range of birds?

Your garden must include a series of habitats, with each area providing a safe place for birds to feed, shelter and roost or nest. If you have mainly lawn, you will need to redesign the garden so that you have the largest possible pond, bog gardens around the pond, as many trees and shrubs as space allows, plenty of seed-producing plants, herbaceous borders and ground cover, with the lawn reduced to a path between the areas.

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

• Wild areas – Allow large areas of your garden to ‘go wild’ by minimizing lawns and holding back on tidiness (no clipping, deadheading or brushing). Plant a wildflower
meadow, and set areas aside for weeds.
• Food – Plant as many berry-bearing species as possible, such as elder, hawthorn, honeysuckle, cotoneaster, pyracantha and yew (see below). Choose species that flower
and fruit at different times.
• Water – Create the biggest possible pond, with related bog gardens and pools.

• Nesting – Provide as many nesting options as possible, including trees, shrubs, bushes, ground-cover plants and maybe a few nesting boxes.
• Feeders – If you choose to have supplementary feeders (not necessarily a good option –  make sure you site them so that cats cannot creep up unnoticed.

PLANTING FOR FOOD AND SHELTER

Across the various species, birds eat everything from seeds and fruits to aphids, beetles, flies, caterpillars and just about everything else that grows, buds, pupates, flies, crawls, slithers and swims. Therefore, to attract a wide variety of birds, you must plant a good range of trees, bushes, ground cover plants, vegetables and grasses. These will provide much better natural food sources than supplementary shop-bought food on a bird table. When it comes to shelter and nesting sites, research suggests that one good-sized tree is worth any number of nesting boxes.

PLANTS FOR BIRDS

• Alnus glutinosa (Alder) – Good for boggy areas; provides shelter and food for birds that eat seeds.

• Berberis spp. (Barberry) – Produces vast numbers of flowers and berries that are good for both insects and birds; makes a good hedge for nesting.
• Brassica oleracea (Cabbage) – Attracts birds that feed on aphids, moths, butterflies and caterpillars.
• Briza maxima (Quaker Grass) – Attracts birds that feed on small seeds.
• Buddleja alternifolia (Buddleia) – Likes a sunny wall; the colour, smell and nectar attract butterflies and moths which in turn provide food for birds.
• Cotoneaster spp. (Cotoneaster) – Grows in almost any soil; provides food for birds that feed on berries.
• Crataegus monogyna (Hawthorn) – Grows in most soils and is good as a hedge; provides shelter and attracts birds that feed on berries, moths and caterpillars.
• Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) – Attracts birds that feed on large seeds.
• Ilex aquifolium (Holly) – Attracts birds that feed on berries.
• Limnanthes douglasii (Poached Egg Plant) – Plant alongside poppies to provide a seed-rich meadow type environment for small birds.
• Papaver commutatum (Poppy) – Good for growing in areas of rough grass and meadow; the dead heads are packed full of seeds that will attract a whole range of small birds.
• Prunus x domestica (Plum) – Grows in well-drained ground; attracts birds that feed on fruits, aphids, moths, caterpillars, mites and flies.

Cotoneaster

Prunus × domestica (Plum)

• Prunuscerasifera (CherryPlum) – Attracts moths, flies and aphids that in turn provide food for birds.
• Rosa spp. (Roses) – Attract birds that feed on aphids and rosehips.
• Rubus fruticosus (Blackberry) – Good for hedges and screening; provides shelter and food for birds that eat beetles, fruits and seeds.
• Secale cereale (Rye) – Attracts birds that feed on small seeds.

Buddleja alternifolia (Buddleia)

Ilex aquifolium (Holly)

Boxes, tables, baths and hides

Are there any other ways to attract birds?

The best way to lure birds into your garden in the long term is to fill it with all the right plants (see pages 36–37). In the short term, however, you can attract them by providing instant feeding stations, nesting sites and a bath in which to have a good splash in clean water. You can either make these items yourself or buy them ready-made. An observation hide will enhance your enjoyment of your avian visitors.

NESTING BOXES

• Chimney box – With this type, the bigger the box the better; it is really good for owls and other large birds that might otherwise avoid garden sites.

• Treecreeper box – This is a good option for treecreepers and other birds that favour well-wooded sites, and it might also attract other beneficial creatures such as bats.

• Tit box – The size limits the box to small birds, the idea being that larger, more aggressive birds are kept out.

• Dovecote – A cote of the shape, size and character which provides a safe haven not only for doves but also for a wide variety of other birds.

HOW TO MAKE AN OPEN-FRONTED NESTING BOX

Some species of birds – such as robins, pied wagtails and spotted flycatchers – prefer to make their nests in a suitable crevice or cranny. For them, the open-fronted box is the best option.

Do not worry about being too accurate with your measurements – after all, natural crevices are not perfectly shaped. The open design will allow you to swiftly inspect the contents – the mother, eggs and chicks, if you are lucky – without disturbing the birds.

When choosing a site, opt for one that is hidden away in foliage, in a spot that is out of the prevailing wind, rain and direct sunlight.

Step-by-step procedure

1 Take all your wood – rot-resistant cedar is ideal – and saw it down to a thickness of about 1 cm (½ in).

2 Set the backboard, A, out with a ruler and square. Fix your compass to a radius of 3.5 cm (1½ in) and scribe out the shape of the half-circle details at the top and bottom. (Note that the stepped details are optional.)

3 Use a scroll saw to cut out the stepped half-circle details.

4 Use a drill to create fixing holes to a size that suits your needs.

5 Sand all the edges to a smooth square finish, and fix in place with glue and panel pins.

6 Colour the whole box with a watercolour wash, and follow this with a coat of exterior-grade water-based varnish if desired.

Make sure, when you are choosing a nesting box, that the size and form suits your targeted birds.

Position your bird bath so that the birds have a clear all-round view, and make sure that it is always filled with clean
water.

BIRD TABLES AND FEEDERS

There is a huge range of ready-made hanging feeders and tables on the market, but it is also possible to make your own if you have the time.

You can quickly fill these with shop- bought food such as peanuts, mealworms and sunflower seeds, and there is no doubt that this easy food will be appreciated by some birds.

A much better plan is to concentrate your main physical and monetary efforts on planting (see pages 36–37). In this way, you will be creating a long-term habitat with a consistent, sustainable source of natural food, and your feeders and table will become virtually redundant.

A home-made feeder designed to hold kitchen scraps.

BIRD BATHS

Traditional bird bath Make sure, when you are siting the bird bath, that you put it in a position where the birds have a good, all-round, clear view of things – so they can avoid the local cats.

Japanese hewn stone fountain Research suggests that a fountain of this character is a good option for birds, since cats stay away because they are wary about the moving water and the noise made by the hidden pump.

A traditional bird bath is both ornamental and practical

Water is a vital component of Japanese gardens, which aim to recreate nature in miniature

OBSERVATION HIDES

One of the best ways of enjoying a wildlife garden is to build a hide (see page 15) where you can tuck yourself away in order to observe creatures such as birds without any danger of being seen.

It does not have to be fancy; just about anything will do – an old shed, a tent, a treehouse, a basic structure made of branches and an old tarpaulin – as long as it is dry, hidden away or camouflaged, and comfortable.

The idea is that you can sit with a notepad and pencil, binoculars, a camera, perhaps even a novel, and your preferred refreshments, and then simply wait and watch.

How can I attract mammals and reptiles?

You need to establish a sound bird garden including a series of habitats such as bog gardens, as many trees and shrubs as the space allows, plenty of flowering, seed producing plants, and lots of herbaceous borders and ground cover. Then you need to go one step further and make sure that your garden is also suitable for the range of mammals and reptiles that are local to your area.

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

• Wild areas – Allow large areas of your garden to ‘go wild’ by including as many overgrown areas as possible. Plant a wildflower meadow, and set areas aside for weeds. Reduce your areas of mown lawn.

• Food – Plant as many berry-bearing species as possible, to bring in birds and the animals that eat birds. Plant dense borders and heap up piles of dead leaves so as to

encourage slugs and insects that will in turn become food for animals such as mice and

bats. Plant as many trees as possible. Build more compost heaps for worms that in turn

will become food for both reptiles and mammals.

• Water – Create the biggest possible pond, with related bog gardens and pools.

• Shelter – Build log piles to give homes to small mammals and reptiles. Make underground tunnels for badgers, foxes and rabbits. Animals like mice, hedgehogs and snakes also live underground, so dig a shallow hole, fill it with dry leaves, cover it over with a box topped with a sheet of glass and more leaves, and then simply leave it and see what moves in. You could also nail a wooden box under your roof eaves, or in a tree, and then wait; some creature will move in – perhaps even a bat.

THINKING ABOUT THE OPTIONS

The truth is, and this has to be faced, that when it comes to garden design wildlife prefers all the things that we traditionally have thought of as being not so good. Wildlife prefers long grass to short, scruffy areas to neat and swept, rotting wood to treated wood, overgrown inaccessible areas to patios and paths, holes and muddy areas to clean and dry, and so on.

This is no problem if you are going to plant the garden, ring it with a tall wall and vanish from the scene, but it is not so easy if you also want to share the garden. The best way forward if you want a wildlife garden is to look at the total area, decide how little you want to ‘tame’, and then set about letting the majority go back to nature.

Think long and hard about such questions as whether a pond will be dangerous for children, whether cats will kill birds, whether mice will get into the house, whether snakes will eat birds, and so on. These are all important issues that need to be carefully considered in the context of your own particular house, garden and family set-up.

PLANTS FOR MAMMALS AND REPTILES

The following list of plants is intended both to feed the mammals and reptiles directly with roots, shoots and fruits, and to feed the insects and bugs that will become food for the mammals and reptiles. Long grass attracts insects, and garden vegetables also draw in insects, birds and small mammals.

• Acorus calamus (Sweet Flag) – Planted around the pond margins, this attracts slugs and insects.

• Angelica sylvestris (Angelica) – Attracts butterflies and other insects.

• Castanea sativa (Sweet Chestnut) – The nuts are attractive to mammals, including squirrels.

• Fagus sylvatica (Beech) – Produces lots of beech nuts that are very rich in edible oils; these are eaten by squirrels, rabbits, birds and small mammals.

• Juglans regia (Walnut) – The nuts attract squirrels and mice.

• Lemna gibba (Duckweed) – This floating plant attracts a wide range of snails and insects.

• Lythrum salicaria (Purple Loosestrife) – Attracts insects.

• Prunus laurocerasus (Cherry Laurel) – Provides food for beetles, bugs and butterflies.

• Quercus robur (Oak) – Acorns attract squirrels and badgers.

• Sambucus nigra (Elderberry) – Produces lots of berries and pips that are eaten by birds and small mammals.

• Silene dioica (Red Campion) – Brings in a range of insects.

Insects do best when there is plenty of good ground cover such as long grass and clumped plants.

Angelica sylvestris (Angelica) attracts butterflies and insects that in turn attract birds, small mammals and reptiles to the garden.

Make sure there are plenty of berries and nuts being produced in your garden to attract mammals and reptiles.