Creative Landscaping - Attracting Birds in the Summer

 Steve Boulden

Summertime, and the livin is easy! That is, unless you are trying to grow a garden. In late spring and early summer, garden pests are on the rampage and can cause many headaches for a backyard gardener. However, there is help on the wing.

When it comes to pest control, birds can be an awesome benefit. When bugs are at their worst, birds are at their best. Late spring and early summer, birds are busy feeding this years crop of hatchlings and given their choice of entrees from Nature menu, baby birds list bugs at the top of the list.

Before the birds begin to look for bugs to feed their hungry babies, they need to find a place to build their nests. If you take pains to keep your landscape just so-so and trimmed immaculately, you might want to find a spot where you can sit-back-and-relax Dedicate this area to a more nature look to help attract birds. In doing so, the more nesting birds you can get in your yard, the more hungry babies there will be to feed and the more natural pest control will be at your disposal. Small trees and twiggy shrubs tend to attract the attention of parent birds looking for a new home.

Along with food, birds also need water, for both drinking and bathing. If the water is moving, it really catches their interest. Check with your garden center for a bubbler if you have a birdbath. Otherwise, consider installing an outdoor fountain.

In return for all the hard work the birds will do for you ridding your garden of pests, consider offering them a special snack now and then. Rather than removing all your feeders when winter has said goodbye for awhile, keep at least one out and fill it with quality seeds. A combination of seeds will help attract sparrows, cardinals, chickadees and grosbeaks. Also consider adding a non-melt suet cake and the titmice and woodpeckers will be regulars as well. While they are in the area, you can count on them to round out their diet with a few insect larvae and other etymological delicacies.

Be sure as you work to attract birds to your garden, you take precautions to help ensure their safety. You want to protect these pest control experts from predators and unnecessary accidents. Begin by placing bird feeders and houses in appropriate places. If you place feeders and houses close to windows, the likelihood of kamikaze birds into the reflective glass is greatly reduced. On the other hand, if you have a large area, place the houses and feeders far enough away you need binoculars to monitor the activity. In this way, the birds will not get close enough to the window reflections. The feeders also need to be kept in an area where predators cannot sneak up on the birds and at least five feet off the ground.

Follow these handy ideas and you should be rewarded with a number of friendly feathered worm warriors who will help to keep your garden pest free and your trees full of song.

Article written by Steve Boulden. Steve is a professional landscaping designer who specializes in small garden design and xeriscaping.For more information, visit www.the-landscape-design-site.com.

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