Blooms and Berries Lead to Birds and Butterflies

Birds and butterflies add more life to your landscape. The best way to attract them is to plant a bird & butterfly garden that provides food, water, shelter and places to nest. Blooms, berries, birds and butterflies, what could be better? Well, they attract bees too! 

Berries - A Birds Favorite!

Planting a variety of shrubs, vines and perennials will bring an abundance of wildlife to your landscape.

Shrubs 

• Serviceberry 
• Viburnum 
• Dogwood 
• Winterberry
• Elderberry

Tip: Plant shrubs that bear fruit at different times so the birds have plenty to eat and stick around.

Viburnum

Fruits 

• Crabapple 
• Raspberry - note there are more choices online and at our store! 

White Crabapple

Vines 

• Honeysuckle ‘Dropmore Scarlet’ – Hummingbirds love the flowers, Cedar Waxwings love the berries 
• Trumpet Vine 

Honeysuckle

Perennials 

• Milkweed
• Butterfly Weed 
• Salvia - butterflies LOVE this 
• Catmint 
• Coneflowers - perfect to leave up for Winter feeding  
• Bee Balm aka Monarda 
• Asters - another late season magnet  
• Oxeye Daisy

Tip: Leave late blooming perennials up in Winter. Birds will feast on their seeds.

Asters with bumblebee

Annuals

• Petunias 
• Lantana 
• Annual Salvia 
• Sunflowers 
• Cosmos 
• Zinnias 
• Pansies 
• Alyssum

Pink Petunias

Providing water for drinking and bathing is very important for the birds. 

Additional tips and information: 

• Butterflies enjoy rocks to rest on, this keeps their body temperatures up so they can remain active. Flat topped rocks are a great addition because they hold water, which allows them to catch a drink. Another great way of providing a drink is to have shallow mud holes that supply a small amount of water.  
• Planting trees and evergreens around your yard will give the birds some places to safely hang out while providing plenty of shelter and nesting locations. 
• Adult butterflies need nectar from the flowers in your garden. They also require host plants for their caterpillar stage like: Milkweed, Butterfly Weed, Honeysuckle, Viburnum, Birch and Poplar to name a few.

Gertens offers much more on Pollinator Plants. Check in with our friendly staff for more information, they’re always happy to help!

The experts at Gertens are always available to answer your questions!