Spring is here which means our feathered friends have returned in full force! When considering landscaping you can utilize trees, shrubs, or perennials to help attract birds to your home garden.
Starting with trees, we’ve found that the red horse chestnut’s gorgeous pink-red flowers work perfectly to bring hummingbirds into the area.
Dogwood is a tree that attracts a wide variety of birds. After the tree blooms, small berries are produced and provide a great snack. Additionally, the dogwood tree can be a perfect habitat for
new-nesters.
Last, traditional spruce, pine, or maple can be bird sanctuaries. Because of their excellent protection and cover, it is not uncommon to find a nest (or two!) in these types of trees. Be careful if trimming these variations of trees as to not disturb baby birds.
You can also add some specific types of shrubs to aid in attracting birds to your garden. First, viburnum is a gorgeous flowering shrub that will turn into fruit once the flowering is complete. Here at Farmer John’s greenhouse, we have multiple varieties of viburnum including mariesii, wabi-sabi, and snowflake. If you’re looking to attract robins specifically, we suggest planting a cranberry high bush.
Elderberry can also help turn your backyard into a bird sanctuary. Birds are known to adore the fruit that grows on these shrubs. Interestingly, these shrubs are known to repel deer; making it an excellent choice for a wildlife-heavy backyard.
Perennials can also attract birds, specifically hummingbirds. Two hummingbird-perfect varieties include Monarda (otherwise known as bee balm) and coral bells. Bee balm can grow quite tall and provides the perfect red/pink flower for hummingbirds to enjoy. Coral bells, as the name suggests, are bell-shaped and easy for hummingbirds to insert their beak into for nutrients.
If you’d rather include accessories like bird feeders in your garden, we provide a wide selection of both bird feeders and seed/food. To help simplify the process, we offer a color-coded section of both feeders and seeds. For finches, select the yellow feeder and the correlating nyger seed. The holes in this version are smaller and perfect for their tiny beaks. Want to bring cardinals to your yard? Our red feeder-filled with sunflower seeds, specifically black oil sunflower seeds, will do an excellent job! Looking for more of an all-around bird favorite? Our green feeders and classic wild bird seed will satisfy your needs!
Living more of a suet lifestyle? We carry numerous varieties, including high-energy suet that can help woodpeckers.