Birds, Mammals and Wildlife Gardening - Containers

Even if you don’t have a garden, or have to cope with the kind of rules which are imposed by housing associations or councils, which can limit what you can grow, it’s still easy to provide a wildlife habitat that will encourage birds to visit.

The potential opportunities include a bird bath, a bird table and container gardens that provide food, shelter and nesting materials.

As a general rule, almost all smaller-growing wildlife friendly plants can be grown in containers. Shrubs such as Pyracanthus offer autumn berries but also for insect attracting flowers in early summer. Cotoneasters have similar benefits, including early flowers for bees and beneficial insects. The smaller varieties of berberis have berries that are loved by birds and the spiraeas, lavenders, and summer flowering heathers all attract a wide range of flying insects.

Perennials which will attract wildlife, include sedum spectabilis, the scabious, small roses and asters.. Sunflowers, salvias and bulbs like crocus, scilla, narcissi and aconites (loved by bees) help offer a year round oasis of food, shade, and so on that appeal to birds.

From the branches of your shrub you can hang small amounts of:

  1. Human hair – the stuff you pull out of your brush
  2. Thin strips of cloth, about an inch by six inches, make sure it’s biodegradable fabric
  3. Feathers
  4. Long dried grasses
  5. Wool, thread or string cut into four inch lengths
  6. Long wilted leaves from daffodils, tulips or iris
  7. Fuzzy lint from your tumble dryer.

Which many species of bird will use as nesting materials.

Birds, mammals and wildlife gardening birdbath photograph by okaggi, used under a creative commons attribution licence

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