Bird Gardens

Birds cannot live on birdseed alone. They also need fruit, nectar, bugs, and insects. There are hundreds of birds to attract to your garden. You might want to consider which birds you want. Make sure that your birds have a place for nesting, shelter, and bathing. A good supply of food will ensure that your birds will return.

Purple cornflower is a very hearty plant that will allow butterflies to feed and spread seeds to continue its growth and give sparrows and finches plenty to eat. An old-fashioned favorite is the zinnia because it is easy to grow. The color of the zinnias will attract yellow goldfinches and hummingbirds love the sweet nectar they give. If cardinals, finches, or woodpeckers are what you want then try planting sunflowers. Butterfly bush, fuchsia, salvia, coral-bells, larkspurs, and bee balm attracts the hummingbirds as well, and also gives off a delightful smell.

Make sure that you plant or have trees and shrubs for the birds to nest in. Noble fir tree, grand fir tree, subalpine fir tree are good for chickadees, nuthatches, finches, woodpeckers, and crossbills. Willow trees are great for songbirds. White oak is good for attracting ducks, quail, geese, and woodpeckers.  Shore pine and lodgepole pine are good for chickadees, quail, sapsuckers, and woodpeckers. Douglas fir trees are good for chickadees, brown creepers, and woodpeckers. Red and blue elderberry is good for attracting sparrows, warblers, orioles, bluebirds, sapsuckers, woodpeckers, and jays. Bunchberry shrub is good for the sparrows and pheasants. Snowberry shrubs attract robins and hummingbirds.