Try one new thing:
create a bird sanctuary
Super simple and incredibly effective, discover Sarah’s steps for encouraging an abundance of birds into your outdoor space all in the name of a greener globe
Sarah's top tips...
If you’re yet to create a bird friendly haven or doing so but what to go the extra mile, these are my recommended steps that all gardeners should take. Make sure you are doing four or five of these steps right now and aim to add one or two every six months or so. If you really want to make an impact, go the whole hog straight away and adopt all five.
feed the birds
At Perch Hill, we grow plenty of seedy plants and use bird feeders, but only put out as much food at once as they can consume in a few days, and don’t forget to clean feeders before refilling. This simple step limits the spread of devastating parasitic diseases, that affect much-loved greenfinch, chaffinch, and garden tits.
Favourites plants which look good and are not invasive are - any of the amaranths, Panicum violaceum and ‘Frosted Explosion’, Setaria viridis, Nicandra physalodes and all and any of the verbenas such as V. rigida and bonariensis).
For the true winter months, use bird feeders. I would suggest only putting out as much food as the birds can consume in a few days, and don’t forget to clean feeders before refilling. This simple step limits the spread of devastating parasitic diseases, that affect much-loved greenfinch, chaffinch, and garden tits
forget immaculate gardening
Now is the time to rethink your traditional manicured garden look and allow your borders, plants, and hedges to become looser and free flowing. This will enable more wildlife to live there, with you, and thrive. Link up with your neighbours and encourage them to create wildlife corridors, linking garden to garden – a great idea for all types of garden visitor.
introduce
early flowering plants
In the UK, we’ve wiped out almost all our flowery meadows which have traditionally provided forage for birds, butterflies, and bees. gardening to replace those lost plants with varieties that will bloom in February and March, will ensure birds and pollinators have access to food. Varieties such as iris reticulata, polyanthus are all good choices, followed by single dahlias and salvias, which flower later in the year. Why not create a chart to ensure you have a succession of flowering plants throughout the entire year.
fruits & seeds? yes please!
Providing garden birds with sustained meals couldn’t be easier. Adding roses that form hips is an excellent choice, along with planting a myrtle bush for dunnocks, blue tits, and gold finches to feast away. Instead of cutting back brambles and hedgerows, allow these to flower and fruit, and of course, hawthorn and crab apple are always firm favourites
consider a diverse range of plants
Wildlife thrives with a wide range of plants and structures – a tree, with a climber growing up it, a decent-sized shrub or two, perennial bulbs, and annuals, including grasses and grains. It’s true that our native plants are valuable, but don’t worry too much about this. Insects and birds won’t avoid more exotic varieties if they have the right forage or protein-rich seed available. Like humans, pollinators also benefit from a varied diet.
think about water
The winter is a great time to get ahead by installing water storage solutions to keep your garden hydrated and happy throughout summer whatever the weather. Providing sources of shallow water for bees and birds is also essential to ensure these creatures can thrive. A shallow bowl or tray, topped up daily in summer is great, add pebbles to prevent insects drowning. We have these all-round the garden as well as one big water feature. I love to sit and watch different bird varieties (particularly blackbirds, robins, and thrushes) use it to wash and drink. Bees, wasps, and butterflies also fill the edges on a hot day, drinking away. Ponds are also A1*** for biodiversity if you have room.
stop using chemicals
Try to avoid using chemicals to mitigate pests and weeds. As we all know, insecticides are there to kill, and pesticides play a significant role in the populations of our songbirds. A study conducted by researchers at the University of Sussex shows that gardeners who use pesticides can expect to see fewer birds. There were 25% less house sparrows seen in gardens where commonly available chemical pesticides were used. However, the research also confirms that providing bird-friendly habitats in gardens increases the number of species, and the abundance of individual species recorded.
To discover more about the sustainability and environmental policy at Sarah Raven here
make a bird feeder wreath
The buzz that birds can bring to our gardens is unparalleled, and consistently feeding birds is one of the mightiest acts we can do to give back to wildlife. Read Sarah's simple steps to create your own bird feeder wreath
What you’ll need
• 12 or 14-inch wreath ring (or make your own)
• String to bind things with
• Stub wire
• Bundles of berries (6 x 60cm)
• Mini apples e.g. 'Spartan' variety
• Seed heads from the garden
• Dried apple rings
• A bag of monkey nuts
• 15-20 Fir cones
• Teasels and hydrangea heads
• Peanut butter
• Bird seed
Step 1
Lay a stem of hawthorn (or other) berries onto the frame and wire them onto your wreath base until you’ve got a generous covering of fruit
Step 2
Next, add the teasels and hydrangea heads making sure you are adding to the edges as well as the front of the wreath. Try not to add too much to the centre
Step 3
The next step is wiring the fir cones, monkey nuts, and apple rings. Push on a monkey nut, followed by an apple ring, and repeat the process
Step 4
Choose how many cones you want to be ‘bird feeders’ and then smear them with peanut butter and roll them in birdseed before attaching them to your wreath
