A well-designed flowerbed can bring additional species of birds to your backyard by supplying adequate shelter and food.
As the spring approaches many of us are already hard at work planning a number of activities for the upcoming season. While birding is naturally on top of our list, other tasks such as spring cleaning our homes and organizing our yards are up there as well. As birders, many of us are natural outdoors-people and are avid gardeners, spending too much of our free time on our knees plucking weeds in the hot summer’s sun.
While flowerbeds are a beautiful addition to any residential property aesthetically, these beautiful spaces can also be utilized to aid your local bird population. This being said, there are a few things you can do to ensure your flower beds are better suited for birds this spring and summer as you begin to “birdscape” in the coming months.
Size & Location
Birds require a certain amount of space and just the same with our residential properties, it is often about location, location, location! Make sure your flowerbeds are not too narrow, you want a deep, wide flower bed that allows mature plants to easily grow without crowding. Be sure to place these flowerbeds, where possible, in a location that provides adequate shelter and security for visiting birds. Place them along a house or other structure or simply around a large tree on your property as a more natural setting.
Use Mulch
While some gardens do look fantastic with a gravel or rock ground cover, try to opt for a mulch cover. Mulch, wood chips or grass clippings allow birds another location they can safely forage for excellent food.
Use a Variety of Plants
Flowers are beautiful, without a doubt, but oftentimes adding additional plant life can be all the difference in attracting a variety of new species to your yard. Including plants such as small trees and berry-bushes are two-fold. They provide adequate shelter on the ground within the flowerbed and also double as another reliable food source in your yard.
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