How to Create a Bird-Friendly Garden

Growing Joy with Plants is the top Home & Garden podcast on Apple Podcasts about houseplants, gardening, and nature-inspired wellness. Plant killer turned Happy Plant Lady (me) Maria Failla, interviews experts on how to successfully care for plants and cultivate joy and calm through doing so.?

Each week this newsletter will share nature-inspired insights, tips, and actionable steps drawn from the conversations.?

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Here’s why a bird friendly garden help you grow joy, cultivate calm, weed anxiety…

This might be one of my most favorite interviews EVER that I’ve done because it has two of the things I’m crazy about—birds and gardening. Today’s episode is special because it feels like I’ve found my soulmate, someone who shares my passion so deeply. In fact, she has written a book about it! Meet Jen McGuinness aka @Frau Zinnie. I'm in love with her book and I'm just so embarrassed with how I behaved in this interview. I want to thank Jen for the way she handled me in this interview, but it’s hard to now be excited about the things you love, you know?

Creating a bird-friendly garden serves a purpose other than making your home look better (although, yes it does). It is also a big step toward making sure that these birds will live, especially since the number of birds has dropped so dramatically in the last few decades.

The Alarming Reality

In fact, since 1970, we’ve shockingly lost 29% of the bird population in North America. That's almost 3 billion fewer birds sharing our skies, forests, and backyards. This loss can be linked to habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, and other human-caused factors.

While those numbers are enough to ruffle anyone's feathers, there is hope. Here’s how you can make a huge impact right from your garden.

Plant Native Species

Local birds love native plants in your local neighborhood. They have got all the things that local birds need—food, shelter, and nesting materials. So think of plants like coneflowers, sunflowers, and berry-producing shrubs.

These things not only attract the bugs that birds eat but also provide a place for them to live and find food.

Provide Water Sources

After eating, birds will want to cooler down and would love to drink and bathe. Just throw in a simple birdbath, pond, or small fountain, and watch birds flock to your garden. Also make sure the water is nice and clean.

During winter, heated birdbaths can come in handy. It provides birds access to water even when their usual sources freeze over.

Supplement natural food sources with bird feeders filled with seeds, suet, and nectar. Keep your feeders clean to prevent mold and disease, and you’ll have a nice bird feeder that’s open 24/7.

Create Shelter

Birds need safe places to rest and nest. Plant dense shrubs, trees, and grasses to provide natural cover. You can also add birdhouses designed for different species and place them where they’re safe from predators. Birds will be nesting in no time!

By following these tips, you will be able to create a stunning garden that will also help protect and support bird populations.

Have you noticed any specific bird species nesting in your garden? How did you attract them?

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