Container Garden for the Birds

Credit: Stock image

Learn how to make a plant container that will attract birds

This beautiful container will bring any balcony or entrance to life with contrasting foliage, colourful blooms and texture. It requires a container with a minimum width of 75 cm (2½ ft.). An old wash basin, or an oak half-barrel will work. Enjoy this planting for several seasons, then separate plants and transplant into the garden.

YOU WILL NEED
• Sterilized potting soil
• Organic fertilizer
• A pole or obelisk
• A large container
• The plants listed below
 

STEP 1: Gently nestle the shrubs into the sterilized soil, leaving a space in the centre for the obelisk.
STEP 2: Sprinkle organic fertilizer over the soil and water well.
STEP 3: Place the pole or obelisk in the centre; it is a landing place for small birds to perch, so anchor it well! Once roots grow around it, it will become more secure.

PLANTS FOR YOUR NATURESCAPE:

Leycesteria formosa Golden Lanterns™

(pictured back left): Gorgeous chartreuse foliage with red new growth and dark-purple fruit. Sun to part shade, growing to 1.5 m (5 ft.) high; 1 m (3 ft.) wide. Deer resistant. Zone 6.     
 

Sambucus nigra ‘Black Lace’PBR

(back right): Dark serrated leaves with pink blooms and black-red edible elderberries. Sun to part shade, growing to 2.2 m (7 ft.) tall by ½ m (4 ft.) wide. Deer resistant. Zone 4.
 

Weigela florida ‘Midnight Wine’:

(centre left) Deep-burgundy foliage complements pink tubular blooms. Sun-loving, reaching 60 m (2 ft.) tall and wide. Deer resistant. Zone 5.
 

Gaultheria procumbens

: (far right, front) Evergreen wintergreen boasts pink summer blooms and mint-scented bright-red winter berries. Low-growing to 30 cm (12 in.). Zone 3.

Rubus pentalobus ‘Emerald Carpet’

: (far left, front) Creeping raspberry is a gorgeous evergreen groundcover. Small white blooms followed by orange berries. 15 cm (6 in.) high by 90 cm (3 ft.) wide. Zone 7.