1. Hawthorn
In addition to lending itself perfectly to the installation of nests, this hardy and undemanding shrub produces fruits that are appreciated by many birds. Its spring flowering and its decorative fruits in autumn make it a very popular small tree in gardens. He … not requires little maintenance and appreciates locations exposed to the sun, whatever the type of soil, provided it is deep and drained.
2. Cotoneaster
The cotoneaster is a hardy, undemanding bushy shrub. It bears dense foliage and produces attractive red or orange fruits in autumn and winter. Depending on the species, it can have deciduous or evergreen foliage. It is to be installed in a sunny location or in partial shade.
3. Holly
To produce fruit, hollies must be grown in associating at least one male plant with one female plant. Otherwise, there are self-fertile varieties of holly. Either way, you’ll get fruit that birds can enjoy all winter long.
The disadvantage of this evergreen shrub is that it is covered in toothed foliage with sharp thorns. On the other hand, it can be very useful if you want to build a defensive hedge. It can be planted in the shade in deep, drained soil.
4. Juniper
Known for his therapeutic virtues and its aromatic qualities, juniper can also be planted in a garden where small birds are welcome. Indeed, its small purplish and scaly fruits will make them happy. Besides that, it bears tough thorny foliage that will stay very decorative throughout the year. This small conifer is very hardy and adapts to any type of well-drained soil.
5. Ivy
Ivy is a plant that can be very useful for birds. And for good reason, it will serve as shelter for the first nesters, but also as food when, in winter, the latter begins to run out. Besides the birds, the ivy welcomes and shelters a whole faunaincluding some insects.
6. Blackthorn
Not only do the blackthorn’s lovely honey-bearing white flowers attract pollinating insects, but the density of its foliage and its thorns also allow birds to to nest there safelywithout forgetting that when it is covered with small blue or black plums, they will be able to feast.
You can also pick it up to make jelly or liquor. Blackthorn can reach a height of 3.50 meters in any sense at maturity. Undemanding, it can be installed anywhere and grows rapidly.
7. Pyracantha
Commonly known as burning bush, this thorny shrub is often used for creating defensive hedges. However, it has other advantages: its evergreen foliage makes it attractive all year round; its flowers are pleasantly fragrant ; and above all, its decorative berries are a real delight for birds. They can be yellow, red or orange. It is best to install it in a location with full sun or light shade. It withstands temperatures down to -15°C.
8. Black elderberry
The black elderberry is a shrub which, in the spring, is covered with yellowish-white flowers in umbels, which then turn into black berries. These are very popular with birds.
Very hardy, it bears deciduous foliage which is reputed to release an unpleasant odor when it is crumpled. Easy to growr, it adapts to all types of soil and likes the sun or partial shade.
9. Rowan with birds
This small tree bears cut-out deciduous foliage. From spring until summer, it covers itself with a generous flowering which will then turn into clusters of berries. Red or yellow in color, they remain on the tree throughout the fall and part of the winter. It’s a very hardy tree who appreciates bright or semi-shaded sites.
10. Country Maple
This dense, rounded shrub grows slowly in the sun or in partial shade. It supports temperatures down to -15°C. Not only will the birds use it as a base to build their nests, but they will also be able to feed on the seeds-fruits it produces, the samaras.
11. Berberis
Berberis is a thorny shrub very easy to grow and very hardy. Depending on the species, it can be deciduous or persistent. In spring, this very decorative plant is covered with a beautiful honey-bearing bloom that gives off a pleasant fragrance.
Among the different species of berberis, most of them are covered, in the fall, with red, pink or blue-black fruits which make the birds happy. Evergreen species should be planted in partial shade rather than full sun.
12. Rough Rose
Once well acclimatized, this shrub can even become invasive. It is, in fact, a recurring wild rose whose fruits take over from the flowers once autumn arrives. These fruits are red, orange and very fleshy. Rustic, it is easy to cultivate.
13. Sea buckthorn
Sea buckthorn is a shrub that remains decorative for most of the year. Easy to live, it knows how to adapt to the most difficult conditions and develops rapidly. Very thorny, it is very branched with a dense habit. In April, it is covered with small flowers which then turn into small orange-red berries, provided you have a female plant. Rustic and undemanding as to the nature of the soil, it is to be installed in the sun.
14. Flowering Currant
This type of gooseberry offers a superb spring flowering before covering itself with small blue berries which are very popular with birds. Rustic, this tree is easy to grow and grows quickly. It is to be installed in the sun or in partial shade in a drained soil.
15. Hazel
Easy to grow, the hazel tree allowsattract birds such as chickadees or Eurasian nuthatches. They then come to feast on the hazelnuts, in winter. It is a deciduous bushy shrub whose development is rapid. It needs sun and cool soil.
16. European Charcoal
This deciduous shrub is very ornamental in autumn with its colorful foliage and its decorative fruits, which are very popular with birds. When these fruits appear in July, they are green in color, then as the summer progresses, they turn bright pink.
The capsule then opens to provide access to orange seeds that birds can feast on throughout the winter. This shrub can reach about 2 m wide. It likes sun or partial shade in well-drained soil.
17. Sacred Bamboo
Sacred bamboo is a shrub that produces berries reminiscent of currants. This upright shrub has light, evergreen foliage. It needs to be planted in well-drained soil in full sun and sheltered from cold winds.
18. Virginia creeper
In autumn, this climbing plant lights up the gardens with its bright red foliage. It is very useful for hiding a wall, a fence, etc., but can end up turn out to be invasive if it is not channeled.
Very hardy, this vigorous and undemanding plant appreciates pitches in the sun or in partial shade. In addition to serving as shelter for an entire ecosystem, it is covered with small berries that serve as food for birds.
19. Viburnum
Among the different species of viburnum, most of them offer a generous production of berries. They can be red, blue or black. For winter fruiting, you can turn to the highbush cranberry which produces many bright red berries that last well into winter. This deciduous shrub appreciates cool, drained and non-calcareous soils.
20. Pheasant tree
This vigorous shrub has very ornamental foliage. It is deciduous or semi-evergreen depending on the region and the climate. Can reach a height of about 1.50 meters, this shrub produces many plum-colored fruits. These persist throughout the winter to the delight of the birds. It is to be planted in fertile soil and in a location in the sun or in partial shade.