Forum home› Wildlife gardening
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Plants for birds

LoopyBCLoopyBC Posts: 27
in Wildlife gardening
Hey Forum Pals, 

I put quite a lot of effort into my making my garden wildlife-friendly, but am conscious that so far most of my efforts have gone into pollinator-friendly plants. I would like to have a plant that offers a bit more to birds, and was wondering if anyone can think of anything that hits my list of requirements (there's quite a list as with a small garden I need plants to do a lot to justify their place):

- Dog friendly 
- Doesn't grow too big (I have a relatively small garden) 
- Can take partial shade and clay soil
- Good for birds, (and ideally also offers something for pollinators
- Flowers would be great for visual interest 

What my dream would be is something that flowers that pollinators like, but then turns into berries that aren't toxic to dogs, and that birds like to give them food in winter. There are lots of plants for pollinators in the garden though so that and the flowers are probably the lowest bit on the priority list. 

Thanks all! 

LB


«13

Posts

  • bullfinchbullfinch Posts: 692
    Teasels often have goldfinches feeding on them, and cotoneaster, pyracantha and nandina all have Autumn berries. I don't know if they are toxic to dogs tho, sorry  :)
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    Buddleias attract bees and butterflies but if you leave the flowerheads to go to seed, small birds will feed on them. The seedheads of sunflowers are also popular with birds. These plants are not toxic to dogs.
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Centaurea montana is good for pollinators and in the autumn ours are full of goldfinches and other small seedeating birds. 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I have been reflecting on my aims - creating a more or less wildlife-friendly garden over the past 12 years. It's a smal space and while I have put in a lot of plants for pollinators, I think the garden is, on balance, probably less wildlife friendly than when I started out. Why? Because I now have a lot less shrubs. I have loved planting ornamental and wild flowers while recreating the garden and I enjoy the colour and diversity very much. My reflection at this point (my lesson learnt) is that what critters like, at bottom, is cover - dense, undisturbed places to overwinter, feel safe, hide, breed and rest.  Invertebrates, amphibians, birds, soil dwellers, mammals want peace and quiet. 

    If putting in a pond, surround it with cover. If putting up bird feeders put them near good, dense, tall planting, so small birds can dive in when they need to.

    So I would urge you to consider that aspect - trees, shrubs, dense hedging, undisturbed undergrowth.

    In terms of planting, there is a wide array of hawthorns (crataegus) that might fit well - offering shelter, spring blossom and autumn berries





  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    If you have room for a small lawn, blackbirds will parade daily looking for worms. They often collect many, returning to their nests to feed their young.
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • LoopyBCLoopyBC Posts: 27
    Plantminded said:
    If you have room for a small lawn, blackbirds will parade daily looking for worms. They often collect many, returning to their nests to feed their young.
    I do have a lawn (well it's less lawny, more muddy at the moment - perils of the clay soil, and a dog that loves to run around on it!). I don't actually get blackbirds weirdly even though they are around here!
  • LoopyBCLoopyBC Posts: 27
    Fire said:
    I have been reflecting on my aims - creating a more or less wildlife-friendly garden over the past 12 years. It's a smal space and while I have put in a lot of plants for pollinators, I think the garden is, on balance, probably less wildlife friendly than when I started out. Why? Because I now have a lot less shrubs. I have loved planting ornamental and wild flowers while recreating the garden and I enjoy the colour and diversity very much. My reflection at this point (my lesson learnt) is that what critters like, at bottom, is cover - dense, undisturbed places to overwinter, feel safe, hide, breed and rest.  Invertebrates, amphibians, birds, soil dwellers, mammals want peace and quiet. 

    If putting in a pond, surround it with cover. If putting up bird feeders put them near good, dense, tall planting, so small birds can dive in when they need to.

    So I would urge you to consider that aspect - trees, shrubs, dense hedging, undisturbed undergrowth.

    In terms of planting, there is a wide array of hawthorns (crataegus) that might fit well - offering shelter, spring blossom and autumn berries





    Yes! I was definitely thinking something shrubby, kind of for the reasons you've laid out. I've already got trees which is good for them, but a shrub is probably what I'm missing. I was considering Hawthorn, but google has been very mixed in terms of dogs!
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I really wouldn't worry about the dog. They'll be fine.
  • LoopyBCLoopyBC Posts: 27
    Dovefromabove said:
    Centaurea montana is good for pollinators and in the autumn ours are full of goldfinches and other small seedeating birds. 😊 
    Oh - I grow that one, but never see birds nibbling the seeds! It's the same for the other plants I've left to go to seed actually - i.e. I never spot anyone nibbling the echinacea seed heads either :s 


  • LoopyBCLoopyBC Posts: 27
    Plantminded said:
    Buddleias attract bees and butterflies but if you leave the flowerheads to go to seed, small birds will feed on them. The seedheads of sunflowers are also popular with birds. These plants are not toxic to dogs.
    I'm always a bit wary of buddleias and how they can self seed around - but I'll definitely add it to my maybe list if it's good for birds too!  
Sign In or Register to comment.