Bird-friendly garden: plant combinations that attract birds

Birds in the garden: more than just pleasant

Birds control insects, spread seeds and bring life to your garden. But they do not arrive on their own. They need food, water, shelter and nesting sites. With the right plant combinations you can turn any garden into a bird paradise.

With GardenWorld you can see how bird-friendly planting would look in your garden. Upload your photo and discover the possibilities.

Combination 1: Berry hedge for winter food

Plant a mixed hedge of Ilex aquifolium (holly, 300 cm, red berries), Sorbus aucuparia (rowan, 500 cm, orange berries) and Sambucus nigra (elder, 400 cm, black berries).

Add Pyracantha coccinea (firethorn, 300 cm, orange berries) as an impenetrable element — ideal for nesting. Blackbirds, thrushes and waxwings love this combination. The berries ripen at different times, providing food from August through March.

Combination 2: Nectar plants for insect eaters

Birds such as blue tits and robins eat insects attracted to flowers. Plant Digitalis purpurea (foxglove, 120 cm, purple), Knautia macedonica (Macedonian scabious, 60 cm, crimson) and Verbena bonariensis (tall verbena, 150 cm, purple).

Beneath them Origanum vulgare (wild marjoram, 40 cm) and Sedum spectabile 'Herbstfreude' (ice plant, 50 cm, pink). The flowers attract butterflies and bees, which in turn attract insect-eating birds.

Combination 3: Dense shelter hedge

Birds need dense structure to hide from cats and sparrowhawks. Combine Crataegus monogyna (hawthorn, 400 cm, white blossom, red haws) with Ligustrum vulgare (wild privet, 300 cm) and Rosa canina (dog rose, 300 cm, rose hips).

Let the hedge grow loosely — do not clip it tight. The thorns of hawthorn and rose offer extra protection. Dunnock, wren and robin happily nest here.

Combination 4: Seed-eating birds

Goldfinches adore seeds. Plant Dipsacus fullonum (teasel, 150 cm), Echinops ritro (globe thistle, 80 cm, blue) and Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm' (black-eyed Susan, 60 cm, yellow).

Leave the seed heads standing through winter — they are a vital food source. The silhouette of frosted teasels against the winter sun is stunning too.

Extra tips

Provide a shallow water dish with a stone in it so birds can land safely. Hang a nest box on the northeast side of a tree or wall. Avoid pesticides — they kill the insects birds rely on.

Leave a corner of the garden wild. Dead leaves, twigs and plant debris are essential for the invertebrates that form bird food.

Your bird paradise

A bird-friendly garden is not an untidy garden. It is a thoughtful garden where nature and design come together. Upload your photo at gardenworld.app and discover how to welcome more birds.