I'm sure that you all have noticed that there are essentially two types of critters visiting our gardens - welcome and unwelcome. If all goes as planned, we can attract the former and discourage the latter. Now is the time to take steps in that direction.
It's January, and if your mailbox like mine, is probably stuffed with catalogs guaranteed to make your fingers itch to pick up the shovel and redistribute some terra firma.
But before you put on the gardening gloves, give some thought as to what you want your garden to accomplish. Of course we all want ours to be the envy of the neighborhood, but how about making your garden attractive to critters?
The most sought after critters for your garden would probably be the feathered variety. One hundred insects per day are a conservative estimate of the quantity consumed by each insectivorous bird. How about that for environmentally safe insect control?
To encourage birds to inhabit your garden, you first and foremost need a source of water. Also provide a feeder that you have generously stocked with sunflower seed, which is relished by cardinals, chickadees, titmice, and migrating golf finches, among others. I find that although sunflower seed alone is more expensive than mixed bird seed, it is not wasted like the mixed variety.
It wouldn't hurt to throw in a few raw peanuts (unshelled) for the blue jays and red-bellied woodpeckers. (No - not red-headed - that variety's entire head and upper breast is bright red. The red-bellied woodpecker which is common to our area is distinguished by a red crown and a very faint reddish tint on the center belly). Don't feel bad if you have misidentified these two, as they are quite often confused with each other. The noisy little house wren enjoys raw peanuts too if you crush them somewhat. We try to discourage the pesky house sparrows. They are totally independent and can take care of themselves. Who else can build a home in a golden arch, bathe in a pothole, and live on discarded french fries?
Incorporate some natural shelter for feathered friends into your landscape. They need cover for protection against cold, wind and enemies. Plant shrubs and vines that provide food as well as places to hide. Native plants that retain their fruit in winter are best. Mockingbirds devour lantana berries and my coveted chile pequins. Migrating cedar waxwings as well as our resident cardinals enjoy pyracantha berries. Holly and its somewhat trashy cousin the youpon, supply the denseness needed for protection from the elements and enemies, and has the added advantage of providing fruit. This also holds true for the pittosporum.
Foundation planted evergreens not only add to the attractiveness of our landscape, but provide warmth and shelter to a multitude of feathered critters on a winter's night. Think of your evergreens as an avian Motel 6 - no frills - just a comfortable night's sleep.
In the fall we want to encourage the hummers to visit us when they are passing through to points further south. Firespike is by far my favorite flower for this purpose. Somehow this plant and the hummers are in perfect sync. As soon as the color (deep red) begins to show on the buds, I know that the flying jewels will be arriving within 48 hours. That is also the day when I hang their feeder in the crape myrtle.
Honeysuckle, Turk's cap, lantana, hardy salvia, hamelia, cypressvine, and trumpet creepers are among the many plants that attract hummers. They are only passing through on a long journey, so we try to make the most of their short visit.
A garden inhabited by birds is not only an asset, but also a source of entertainment. Have you ever seen a woodpecker wedge a peanut into a hollow spot in a tee and peck away at the shell to get to the meat of the matter, or seen the mercantile blue jay plant sunflower seeds in your flower pots? A father cardinal teaching his noisy babies to bathe in the birdbath is a scene that accentuates the fact that Mother Nature is alive and well, and watching over your garden.
So peruse the seed catalogs of confederate persuasion, and avoid those with Yankee leanings, as a large portion of their offerings does not do well in our climate. Your best bet is to visit a local, reputable, knowledgeable nursery. How do you know if they are reputable and knowledgeable? Ask if they have Bradford pears, lilacs or fuchsia. If the response is "Yes" to any of these - you might want to consider just getting back into your car.