Birds are an essential feature of all gardens. They not only provide a pollinating function for many of our flowering plants, b ut are delightful companians in a garden. even the rather unfashionable hahedas help to keep the cricket population in our lawns at a healthy level.

how do you develop a garden a bird friendly garden? there are a number of basic tips that can be used by any beginner gardener wishing to transform a garden into an ecoloical paradise.

Reduce your lawn area by substantially widening the beds.

Plant indigenous trees along a wide corridor around the garden to create a canopy. Bellow the canopy plant functional wildlife – friendly shrubs and perennials that provide birds with ficilities for nesting resting feeding or breeding.

Plant climbers to cover exposed pergolas – thereby attracting nesting birds. Attract trellises to bare walls and plant climbers to cover the walls. By placing wooden bloacks between the trellis and the wall, you can ensure there is a 5-10cm gap between the trelliswork and the wall which can be used by birds and other garden wildlife for nesting and breeding.

Sweep dry autumn leaves and garden clippings directly on to the shrub and flower beds as a mulch. Nature will decompose the organic matter as it does in a forest.

Develop an exclusion area at the bottom of your garden. this is a zone which has been planted up with various strata of vegetation thron trees at the back shrubs at a lower level and groundcovers to cover soil. Scatter rocks and nesting logs through this secluded wildlife friendly area.

Establish a wetland and pond between the lawn and exclusion area. Plant indigenous cyperus bulrushes or indigenous reeds in a boggy wetland to attract marsh brids. Develop a shallow wading zone in the pond for birds and a deeper (at least 40cm) zone for fish.

The exclusion zone and wetland area will become a major focus of bird activity

Courtesy of Kay Montgomery