Birds, Bees and Butterflies
Purpose
This small garden was established primarily to demonstrate the many trees, shrubs and plants that will attract birds, bees and butterflies to a backyard garden.Habitat
Coming Soon
Maintenance
The three beds of the Birds, Bees & Butterflies Garden receive frequent additions of organic compost, when available, and leaf mulch is laid down in early Spring. Weeding and dead-heading are carried out on a weekly basis through the growing season. Gardens done in this style can be a challenge to maintain, but the rewards many. Current environmental challenges will make the establishment of wildlife santuaries increasingly important, particularly with regard to native pollinators.History
The Birds, Bees & Butterflies Garden was designed in 2005 by Michael Dowling, then Head Gardener. With the assistance of an exchange student, they performed a soil test and amended the soil accordingly. Extensive renovation of the area followed.
A large Spruce tree delineates the north-end of the bed where shade tolerant plants were planted. The middle bed lies between the Portuguese Laurel and Leatherleaf Viburnum with both sun and shade exposures, thus a mix of plantings were incorporated. The middle bed is bordered on the north-side by the Drought Tolerant Garden. The south bed is an open, full sun site that is bounded on the west side by the berry patch, the south side by the Mediterranean Garden, and the east side by the Hardy Fuchsia Garden.
The design included a colour scheme: the south bed would incorporate blues, purples, pinks and whites; the middle bed would include warmer colours, such as, yellows and oranges and, of course, the north bed would include shade-tolerant plants, such as, Pulmonaria. Some grasses were also planted to provide the birds with nesting material, while the trees provide shelter and areas to build their nests.
To further attract birds, bees and butterflies, three bird baths were originally placed in the garden and several bird nesting boxes. In 2011, only one bird bath now remains and is well-used by the birds and the occasional squirrel. Violet-Green Swallows have successfully raised a family in one of the nesting boxes. Several rocks were placed in the garden to provide a warm resting place for the butterflies, and a dish of sand, kept moist, was placed on an available tree stump for the butterflies to withdraw much needed salt. The many bees appeared fat and happy throughout the season.
Support
Volunteer Sandy Shaw came on as curator in 2010 and the garden grows and changes under her thoughtful care. The staff of Glendale supplies support and advice.