Gardening, whether on a small, large plot or in a windowsill pot, is a greatly satisfying job for many people. However, planting and maintaining the needs of the plants does not only reward the gardener but it benefits the entire environment in diverse ways.
Small urban gardens can provide an invaluable haven for birds. By growing the right plants in your garden, you can invite various types of birds. They like eating berries, fruits, insects, worm’s, nectar, and seeds.
Bird friendly-plants
Small trees
- Doyvalis caffra
- Erythrina sp.
- Halleria lucida - the nectar rich flowers attract sunbirds and other nectar-feeding birds that pollinate flowers. Fruits are eaten by fruit eating birds.
- Olea exasperata
- Osteospermum moniliferum
- Searsia crenata
- Searsia lucida - evergreen small tree grows up to 2-5 m. It can spreads up to 4 m. Small, creamy white flowers are borne in August to February and the round fruits occur from October to June. The birds eat the ripe berries.
Shrubs
Aloe sp.
Euryops virgineus
Leonotis leonorus - a fast-growing shrub which grows up to to 2-3 m and 1.5 m wide. The flowers contain sweet nectar that attract many nectar loving birds such as Sunbirds.
- Metalasia muricata - a greyish, rounded shrub which grows up to 4 m. Flowers attracts many pollinating insects and the seeds are eaten by birds.
- Portulacaria afra
- Salvia aurea
Climber/ Creeper
- Cissampelos capensis
- Thunbergia alata - a soft, perennial climber about 1m with many twinning stems. It attractive to insects and helps bring birds into a garden. It provide secluded nesting sites for especially for robins.
If your garden is too small and cannot plant many shrubs, make use of bird feeders.
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