Backyard small trees/plant suggestions to attract song birds?

[sams]

Iam planing to plant small trees (6-8' tall)along my border wooden fence line to add color to the monotone and also to attract song birds. It would be better if its evergreen conifer types or any winter hardy tree/plant. Doesnt matter if it dont fruit, since the birds here at my backyard, dont seems to be eating them. Also should be easy to care.

TIA

Sam

Zone 6. New Fairfield, CT.

[J Kolenovsky]

In my opinion, the wisest thing to do is to research the native trees indigenous to your area and contact your native plant society for additional information and resources on how to proceed. You will find there are probably numeous uunderstory/fringe trees to selct from as well as some shrub/tree combinations. There will be native selections that will have the birds eating and habitating quite well as well as related wildlife.

The > =

[Pam - gardengal]

6-8' is VERY small for a tree - even many dwarf forms typically get larger than that over time. You may want to investigate shrubs instead - there are many, many shrubs you can choose from - flowering, fruiting, evergreen or deciduous.

The UConn plant data base is an excellent resource - it will provide you with a large selection of shrubs hardy for your area and suitable to your garden conditions.

birds need cover, a safe perch, water and a food source. The food source doesn't necessarily have to be the shrubs (although many berrying shrubs are beloved by songbirds), but they need to attract insects which the birds feed on. Perennials and ornamental grasses which develop appealing seedheads are a good choice as well. Native plants are often suitable, but you don't have to restrict your choice to those. Select what is attractive to you and what requires low maintenance. If you have enough biodiversity, the birds will come.

pam - gardengal

[J Kolenovsky]

sams wrote: