Bird Garden
In planning a bird garden, it fall into two categories—wholly new, untouched sites and existing gardens. The first type obviously provides a lot of scope and can be planned from scratch, whereas in the case of an established garden it is a question of taking stock of what is already there and thinking about how it might be changed or added to.
It is worth giving some thought to ‘wild areas’, which can be provided in either sort of garden. Remember that even an area designated `wild’ should not be an entirely neglected one—it will need little management. It is usually best to maintain a wild area well away from your best flowerbeds and vegetable plots, simply to avoid the problem of weeds spreading to places where you do not want them. Choose a corner, or maintain a strip along a wall or fence where maintenances easy and you can keep an eye on things. There is more about these areas later, but in passing note that plants like groundsel and shepherd’s purse need little encouragement and should be retained to provide seeds for finches; thistles will attract goldfinches, as will teasels—which are also very attractive in their own right. Nettles may not be of much obvious use to birds, but they are invaluable to butterflies—if they can be left so that they grow close to or underneath buddleia, which attracts butterflies and a whole host of other insects, so much the better. Various grasses also provide seeds for small birds, but they also have a tendency to spread like wildfire and may need to be kept under control. Brambles too should be encouraged, perhaps in a corner of the garden or along fence or wall. Birds enjoy blackberries just as much as humans and brambles can also provide nesting cover.
Starting from scratch
A new garden plot requires a lot of thought before it implanted up. Look at the area around your garden and consider which birds are likely to come and what sort of conditions they would like. Think, too, whether there might be one or two local species which you might be able to attract by providing something special—a pond, perhaps, or a favorite food plant. Then draw up a plan, preferably on graph paper, taking into account the positions and likely eventual size of any existing trees and, of course, of other features such as clothes lines, garden sheds, greenhouses, fuel storage tanks and so on. Remember, too, to give early thought to any paths you may wish to lie out. Then plan where to put your flowerbeds, vegetable plots, shrubs and any trees you wish to plant, always bearing in mind lines of sight from your windows so that you can actually see the birds which come. How much of the garden will be lawn? Don’t be afraid to make your lawns a major feature and think inters of planning the rest of the garden around them. Short grass maintained in the traditional way (but preferably with a little more tolerance than usual of clovers and buttercups) is used by a lot of birds.
Perhaps the most exciting possibility of all is to plan garden pond. How big you make it, and what shape, will depend on the space available—but it will be a major attraction to birds and the insects on which many of them feed. If you are fairly close to larger water areas, streams, rivers or canals, think of the kingfisher as a likely visitor and provide both small fish and one or two suitable perches; remember too that ponds provide homes for frogs, toads and newts and also the chance to grow some interesting and very attractive plants.
Adapting the old
If you have a well-established garden (or are moving into house which has one) and if, so far, little thought has-been given to providing for birds, the first thing to do is to take stock of what is there and decide what should be retained, and where and how alterations might be made.
Trees
Mature trees are an asset in any garden, providing as they do song-posts, a variety of sources of natural food and many nesting-places. All too often there seems to be tendency to regard them as a nuisance or potential source of danger, and to lop off big branches or even to think of felling. Obviously, where there is a distinct danger to houses, or if overhanging branches are a nuisance toneighbours and passers-by, some action is desirable—buttery to keep tree control to a minimum and always seek professional advice first.
The other great temptation is to remove dead trees because they are unsightly, or to take off dead branches. In fact, dead wood often harbors a lot of insect food which is sought by woodpeckers, nuthatches,treecreepersand tits; it often provides opportunities for hole-nesters, like tits, to breed and, above all perhaps, for woodpeckers to excavate nest-holes. Furthermore, dead limbs are used as drumming-posts by the spotted woodpeckers in late winter and spring. So you should think twice before taking down dead wood—try to retain some of it if at all possible. It is, after all, a vital component of any woodland habitat and one which to some extent you can replicate in the garden.