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Flowers for birds

JodiPrinceJodiPrince Posts: 4
in Wildlife gardening

Hi Gardeners,

I want to plant flowers to attract birds. Anyone here knows what are the seed bearing plants for our winged friends? I already planted Cosmos, daisies, and dandelions. Thanks for the help!

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Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Billericay, EssexPosts: 9,863

    Sunflowers - they don't have to be 10ft tall - you can get small ones too
    I have a couple of cultivated teasels and the birds pick seeds out of them

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Jess is in the GardenJess is in the Garden Posts: 1,022

    Verbena bonariensis - they are lovely, self seeding annuals that grow fast and give masses of tiny purple flowers atop long stalks, late summer and autumn.

    The goldfinches come and peck the seeds out of mine.

    Last edited: 19 May 2017 19:54:40

  • 8000wildflowers8000wildflowers Posts: 278

    Teasels and verbena bonariensis - you'll have chattering goldfinch in your garden all year round!

    If you add a privet or hawthorn hedge you'll also get sparrows

    image

  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,933

    Consider grasses too.. my birds love the millet that grows up under my bird feeder.  

    Utah, USA.
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,293

    Goldfinches love dandelions too - good for early seed! My ducks like the seeds of Alchemilla mollis and I expect they are picked up by chaffinches and other ground feeders too.

    Berries as well - Cotoneaster horizontalis, elderberry, black and red currants, all popular with blackbirds and probably other autumn migrants, rosehips, especially Rosa rugosa  (greenfinches) and others like cherries, cherry plum, amelanchier and ivy. They don't much like holly or some other cotoneasters though, at least in my garden.

    Last edited: 19 May 2017 22:13:02

  • FireFire North LondonPosts: 17,116

    My birds seem to love to eat berberis. My shrubs are filled with sparrows. Some plants for birds and here.

    https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/read-and-learn/fun-facts-and-articles/features/berries.aspx

    Good hedges and trees are great cover for birds to feel safe.

  • JodiPrinceJodiPrince Posts: 4

    Thank you for the help everyone! Would love to see my garden with the goldfinch and sparrows

  • B3B3 South East LondonPosts: 24,060

    buttercup, I can guarantee that I won't have a single holly berry by Christmas. Something eats them  - every last one!

    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • Mark56Mark56 Windsor, BerkshirePosts: 1,653

    Pyracantha shrub/rowan trees - great flowers for the bees followed by autumn/winter berries for the birdies. 

  • Mags2Mags2 Posts: 35

    Please don't forget Sunflowers

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