A Garden filled with birds

There are few things as peaceful as sitting on your patio and watching the activities of the birds feeding in your garden. So how can you ensure that the birds flock to your garden instead of the house down the road? It’s all about providing the right food and conditions where birds will feel safe.

Here are some hints to get you started :

• A healthy lawn is a must, as this provides the ideal hunting ground for insect-eating birds.
• Rake fallen leaves into garden beds. This encourages earthworms to flourish, which is very good for the health of your soil, and they provide a source of food for birds.
• You can also attract birds by planting trees or shrubs that provide a good source of nectar or fruits. Good nectar-bearing options are salvias, ericas, agapanthus, fuchsias, Cape honeysuckle, aloes, red hot poker and mountain bottlebrush. Good sources of fruit for birds are the berries on Cape ash, fig trees, white stinkwood, Bushman’s poison, Mickey Mouse bush and Cape myrtle.
• It’s also essential to provide good nesting areas for birds. They are particularly fond of nesting in acacias and Kei Apple, while thorny trees and shrubs like rambling roses, Pyracantha (Santa Cruz) aka Firethorn, and bougainvillea provide them with protection from predators.