Attracting our feathered and other flying visitors is relatively easy with little needed other than a willingness to consider them in our garden planning.
Foremost is the reduction of use of chemical sprays during and following the blooming of flowers. Some areas ban the general home use, but a little knowledge goes a long way to improve compliance. Bees and butterflies depend on unsprayed plants on which to feed. Young fledgling birds need insect larvae on which to feed. Spraying plants removes their food, the butterfly larvae. See the connection?
Butterflies, birds and bees like flower shapes that are open and cuplike or tubular, rather than pompom-like. Some common flowers preferred by our flying visitors are Butterfly bush, Black-eyed Susans, daisies, grasses, coneflowers, Pulmonaria and Penstemon amongst the ornamentals. Yarrow, both wild and cultivated is a hit amongst butterflies in general. If its Monarch butterflies you want to support, then milkweed is a must. There are ornamental forms and even our native Swamp Milkweed will host a few Monarchs. Swallowtail Butterflies are drawn by parsley, dill, fennel and Queen Anne’s lace, all aromatic members of the carrot family. Bees cannot see red so apple and cherries provide spring food them.
Birds are partial to flowering trees or shrubs such as Flowering crab an ornamental and Viburnum (both native and planted species and cultivars). Shadbush or Saskatoonberries are guaranteed to attract cardinals, cedar waxwings and even robins. Hummingbirds like lilacs for nesting or other shrubs, but are drawn to columbine, bee balm and Lobelias, plus most red or crimson flowers. Think baskets of red or scarlet fuschia, sought after by those little Ruby-throats.
Whatever the size of your flower patch, all will appreciate a small patch of bare moist soil amidst the food plants.
Rudbeckia flowers, photo by Marian Munro
Daucus carota, Queen Anne's lace, photo by Marian Munro
Aquilegia or columbine flowers, photo by Sean Blaney
Asclepias, or milkweed flower, photo by Sean Blaney
Smooth Serviceberry, photo by Martin Thomas
Butterflies, birds and bees like flower shapes that are open and cuplike or tubular, rather than pompom-like. Some common flowers preferred by our flying visitors are Butterfly bush, Black-eyed Susans, daisies, grasses, coneflowers, Pulmonaria and Penstemon amongst the ornamentals. Yarrow, both wild and cultivated is a hit amongst butterflies in general. If its Monarch butterflies you want to support, then milkweed is a must. There are ornamental forms and even our native Swamp Milkweed will host a few Monarchs. Swallowtail Butterflies are drawn by parsley, dill, fennel and Queen Anne’s lace, all aromatic members of the carrot family. Bees cannot see red so apple and cherries provide spring food them.
Birds are partial to flowering trees or shrubs such as Flowering crab an ornamental and Viburnum (both native and planted species and cultivars). Shadbush or Saskatoonberries are guaranteed to attract cardinals, cedar waxwings and even robins. Hummingbirds like lilacs for nesting or other shrubs, but are drawn to columbine, bee balm and Lobelias, plus most red or crimson flowers. Think baskets of red or scarlet fuschia, sought after by those little Ruby-throats.
Whatever the size of your flower patch, all will appreciate a small patch of bare moist soil amidst the food plants.
Rudbeckia flowers, photo by Marian MunroDaucus carota, Queen Anne's lace, photo by Marian Munro
Aquilegia or columbine flowers, photo by Sean BlaneyAsclepias, or milkweed flower, photo by Sean Blaney
Smooth Serviceberry, photo by Martin Thomas
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