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Planting for birds and butterflies Attracting birds, butterflies and cute little creatures to your yard and garden is the goal of some gardeners. Many of us already get enough visitors, especially the destructive types, that adding more doesn't seem feasible.
Unfortunately, butterfly gardening and landscaping for birds are opposites. Many birds will feed on the larva of butterflies and moths. The ideal butterfly garden will have few trees or shrubs to shelter birds. On the other hand, butterflies do need their own special hiding places. It's sort of a Catch-22. Yet, there is a magical allure to bluebirds, indigo buntings, cardinals, monarch butterflies and lunar moths flying or floating around your plants. To attract wildlife successfully to your yard, you need to have three things — food and water sources, shelter (trees and shrubs), and a safe place to rear young. Bird feeders are a method of providing food throughout the year. These should be located in areas where squirrels and other animals have a hard time reaching the food. That is often easier said then done. One of the great joys on a cold, snowy winter day is watching a squirrel try to figure out a way to get to an unobtainable feeder. The alternative is to plan on feeding the squirrels and buy more food. One of the easiest ways to prevent squirrels from reaching the food is to place the feeder in the middle of the yard with no trees or shrubs nearby. Unfortunately, many bird feeders often stick out in the landscape like sore thumbs, calling attention to themselves. Consider placing some low growing plants such as evergreens (yews, junipers, arborvitae, dwarf hemlocks or spruces) or groundcovers (English ivy, vinca, pachysandra) around the feeder's base. The plants will also hide the seed remains.
Water can be provided by a birdbath. Size isn't as important as the fact that sides should slope gently down. Place some rocks near the bath for the birds to land on. Provide a heater in the winter so birds can drink. Change water regularly before mosses and algae develop. Like the feeder, locate some shrubs beneath or around the bath to soften its effect in the landscape. Many birdbaths are simply painted concrete, or plastic, and don't really lend themselves to the landscape. Plain concrete baths that have aged and developed a green patina can be attractive. Shrubs and trees usually provide enough shelter. Consider some evergreen trees if your property is large enough to provide winter protection. Planting in clumps around open spaces maximizes your yard's benefit to wildlife. Include shrubs, trees and tall grasses with seed heads. Don't forsake good landscape design. Remember to think of rounded forms next to buildings and provide plenty of room for plants to grow. Evergreens such as pines, firs and spruces can quickly tower over other plants and look out of place in the landscape. The same thing applies to tall trees. Vary plant heights. Some shrubs interspersed among trees provide hopping points for birds, as well as some potential food sources if you use Viburnums or Gray Dogwoods. The key to successful butterfly gardening is to provide food for both the adult and the larva. The downside is that larva usually devour a plant. The cabbage or parsley that you provide for the caterpillars will not yield much food for your family. A birdbath in the garden will also provide water for butterflies, though many prefer nectar from flowers. Many native grasses work well within the confines of a butterfly garden as the plants provide shelter and a resting-place for the butterflies and moths. Let me know if you need a list of butterfly/moth food sources. I'll gladly send you a listing.
David Robson is an Extension Educator, Horticulture, at the Springfield Extension Center, University of Illinois Extension. You can write to Robson in care of Illinois Country Living, P.O. Box 3787, Springfield, IL 62708. 18 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING MARCH 1999 |
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