I was going to recommend Hawthorn and Rowan but I see they have already been mentioned on the previous page. The birds like the berries. Elderflower is quite quick growing but tend to seed themselves.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Another recommendation is apple or crab apple. These come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, different rootstocks control how big they want to grow, they take well to pruning, the birds eat crab apples, the pollinators like the flowers. Vigour depends on variety and rootstock. Can be really small to really big.
You said holly and that is a good idea. Nice protection and berries for the birds (that is why they like hawthorn as well) but also evergreen for you to look at.
How much space do you have and how tall do you want them to get?
I agree too re Rowan and Hawthorn, although rowans may not be keen on very alkaline soil, but I'm not sure, as it isn't something we have here. They also need adequate moisture to thrive. I'd definitely look at shrubs though - quicker to get the effect you might want, and many small birds love hiding in them - Eleagnus for example, is evergreen so is very useful all year round. Viburnums - yes, and good for other wildlife too, and many are evergreen. The holly will also be good, but they can be slow growing. All the sparrows and blue tits here love Mahonia - good for hiding in, and insects for them on the flowers. Philadelphus can also be great.
Bear in mind that the birds' habitat has been decimated, but if you can get some cover in for them, they'll return, so it won't be forever. You'll get there, and so will they
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thank you for all the advice. Ive put a before and after picture so you can see the difference. We were thinking of moving but decided to try and make things better instead.
Lots of good advice and suggestions already. Very sorry that the resident birds have lost their habitat.
If I was limited to only one or two trees, one would definitely be silver birch. It is fairly quick growing and is second only to oak for the number of fauna species it supports. All those insects are food for birds. Don't go for a large one as it will be slow to establish. Holly is good but slow so if you really want a female holly go for medium size one and accept that you will need to water it a lot in it's first summer. Birds want and need cover so also plant suitable bushes. Other suggestions from me would be crab apple which various winter thrushes will feast on especially if you choose a variety that holds on to it's fruit well into the new year and another good for wildlife but lesser know small tree is ameliancier. Happy tree planting.
Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
I was just about to suggest Amelanchier @Redwing Our multistem A. lamarckii is full of small birds ... we bought it in the spring of 2016 ... it was about 6 ft then and cost about £100 ... each spring it's covered with blossom, then pretty leaves and fruit for the blackbirds through the summer and then a blaze of glorious colour in the autumn ... Now it's about 10ft tall with quite a few 'stems' ... the foliage is light, a bit like a silver birch in density, so although it screens the house behind us well it doesn't darken the garden. We love it ... Cyclamen coum around it's feet in the autumn, and Forget-me- nots in the spring
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
One of the best bird attractors in our garden is the pyracantha. They grow quite quickly and can be free form or shaped. The blackbirds absolutely adore the berries in winter (the red berried ones are prefered over the orange and then yellow) and nest in them in the summer (as they are prickly enough to deter predators). So for flowers that the bees love, then potential breeding sites or cover, followed by food in the winter, the pyracantha is hard to beat.
You can also include them in a mixed hedge with hawthorn, blackthorn and the other usual varieties.
Wow I wish I had more room! There are some beautiful plants I've just been out and have only got about 7m by 2m with a fence at the back. I think I can put a Holly in the corner and hopefully two more beside. Thank you all for the suggestions I will post pictures when we've planted something.
My busiest plant is a cotoneaster growing on the side of the garage . They grow in more or less any soil and have berries for the birds and when it flowers it just hums with bees .Highly recommended.
I agree with a lot of the above suggestions. Most native shrubs and trees are good. Holly, Hazel, hawthorn and blackthorn make good hedging which are good for all birds. Although viewed as a pest/weed, ivy is my favourite plant for birds/wildlife. You could probably get a good thick shrubby area over the walls and the birds love to nest and roost here. Moreover the berries attract blackbirds, song trushes and wood pigeons. The flowers are amazing for insects too. For the trees, the apple suggestions are good. Ash grows quickly and I always get goldfinches in mine, goat willow is a nice compact tree, alder and birch are good too.
Posts
You said holly and that is a good idea. Nice protection and berries for the birds (that is why they like hawthorn as well) but also evergreen for you to look at.
How much space do you have and how tall do you want them to get?
I'd definitely look at shrubs though - quicker to get the effect you might want, and many small birds love hiding in them - Eleagnus for example, is evergreen so is very useful all year round. Viburnums - yes, and good for other wildlife too, and many are evergreen. The holly will also be good, but they can be slow growing. All the sparrows and blue tits here love Mahonia - good for hiding in, and insects for them on the flowers.
Philadelphus can also be great.
Bear in mind that the birds' habitat has been decimated, but if you can get some cover in for them, they'll return, so it won't be forever. You'll get there, and so will they
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
If I was limited to only one or two trees, one would definitely be silver birch. It is fairly quick growing and is second only to oak for the number of fauna species it supports. All those insects are food for birds. Don't go for a large one as it will be slow to establish. Holly is good but slow so if you really want a female holly go for medium size one and accept that you will need to water it a lot in it's first summer. Birds want and need cover so also plant suitable bushes. Other suggestions from me would be crab apple which various winter thrushes will feast on especially if you choose a variety that holds on to it's fruit well into the new year and another good for wildlife but lesser know small tree is ameliancier. Happy tree planting.
Our multistem A. lamarckii is full of small birds ... we bought it in the spring of 2016 ... it was about 6 ft then and cost about £100 ... each spring it's covered with blossom, then pretty leaves and fruit for the blackbirds through the summer and then a blaze of glorious colour in the autumn ...
Now it's about 10ft tall with quite a few 'stems' ... the foliage is light, a bit like a silver birch in density, so although it screens the house behind us well it doesn't darken the garden. We love it ... Cyclamen coum around it's feet in the autumn, and Forget-me- nots in the spring
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
You can also include them in a mixed hedge with hawthorn, blackthorn and the other usual varieties.