Home gardens can be a valuable part of your ecosystem in the spring or summer. But one gardener showed off the value your garden has to birds in the offseason.
On r/NativePlantGardening, fans of growing for your ecosystem share successes and advice. Everything from stunning flowers to wildlife visitors gets a call-out on the page. In one post, a homeowner showed off gorgeous photos of birds making use of their garden during the winter.
The carousel shows five photos of common yard birds eating seeds from dead plants and flowers. Several of the photos seem to portray goldfinches, while one appears to show a type of sparrow. The OP advised with the post, "If you must cut your native plants back, wait until spring."
Leaving the detritus of your spring flowers in your native garden is an effective way to reduce your workload and give nutrients back to your soil and ecosystem. The U.S. Department of Agriculture explains that leftover organic material such as plants and leaves "serve as a habitat for wildlife, including lizards, birds, turtles, frogs, and insects that overwinter in the fallen leaves."
Like these photos show, birds thrive on these leftover plants. The American Horticultural Society released a report on bird-friendly winter gardens, stating, "With a little planning, you can keep winter birds healthy and happy by creating a habitat that provides them with a few basic needs: food, water, shelter, and a safe place to raise a family come spring."
Commenters were enamored with these gorgeous photos and the bird-friendly garden.
"This is what I plan to do. Native plants are ideal places for insects to overwinter as well," one person wrote.
Someone else shared: "Agreed. A few autumns ago, I saw a hermit thrush snacking on berries from a Virginia creeper vine hanging right in my family room window. It was awesome."
"My various garden plots are full of juncos today," another bird lover added. "They're feasting on all the seeds."
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