One of the joys of creating a beautiful garden is sitting on the porch with a cup of coffee in the morning, admiring a landscape filled with colorful birds, butterflies and other fauna. More than just pretty to look at, these beautiful creatures also help control pests, scatter seeds, and keep your garden happy and healthy. How do you make sure that you promote an environment that will attract them to your garden? There are a few simple steps you can take to provide an attractive sanctuary for birds, butterflies and other pollinators.
Know what they are looking for
Birds and butterflies require adequate sources of food, shelter, and water. Trees and shrubs that offer seeds and fruit will provide food and shelter for all seasons of the year. Trees also provide breeding places and nesting sites for many little creatures. Ponds, fountains, or other water features provide moisture and water sources for them.
Encourage butterflies to stay
Butterflies will stay for their entire life cycle if you’re able to provide for all their needs. Planting nectar plants and larval host plants will provide food for adult butterflies as well as feed their young during the caterpillar stage.
Some examples of larval plants:
- Vines – Honeysuckle
- Shrubs – Lilacs, Suma, California lilac
- Trees – Birch, Willow, Dogwood
- Perennials – Aster, Lupine, Milkweed
Butterflies love the colors purple and yellow, and they need wide, flat flowers to perch on while they feed. The Butterfly Bush, or the smaller space-friendly Dwarf Butterfly Bush, are both safe bets. Petite Indigo and Petite Snow are also butterfly-friendly.
What to plant to attract birds
Just like us, birds enjoy a wide variety of foods. Planting a variety of fragrant, flowering plants with different bloom cycles will ensure they are well fed and hang around for all seasons. Planting your garden in multi-tier levels will provide food for various winged creatures at different height levels. Trees are tall so should be in the background. They will provide shelter, resting perches, and nesting grounds. Varied sizes of shrubs can provide hiding places from predators as well as nesting spots.
Some native plants that birds love include:
- California Figwort attracts Hummingbirds, Wood Warblers, Vireos, Orioles, Waxwings Mockingbirds, Thrashers and Sparrows
- California Sage attracts Sparrows, Chickadees, Titmice, Finches, Crows, Jays, Woodpeckers, Cardinals and Grosbeaks
- California Christmas-Berry attracts Mockingbirds, Woodpeckers, Waxwings, Orioles, Thrushes, Nuthatches, Crows and Jays
- Apricot Globe-Mallow attracts Sparrows, Waxwings, Orioles, Vireos, Mockingbirds, Thrashers and Wood Warblers
Planning your garden using native plants will have many benefits. One is that the plants have already adapted to the precipitation and soil conditions of Visalia, and California’s San Joaquin and Central Valley. They will also provide beautiful additions to your landscape that don’t require artificial fertilizers or pesticides. Of course, the main benefit will be that they will attract the birds and butterflies to your yard for your enjoyment.