The Songbird Survival Garden at Chelsea

Dear Readers, as you might remember I was at Chelsea last week, and I thought that the Songbird Survival Garden that I saw deserved a little bit more attention. It was designed by Nicola Oakey, on behalf of the charity Songbird Survival, the only UK charity dedicated solely to halting and reversing the decline in songbirds and other small birds. There were a lot of good ideas in the garden which could be translated into small spaces anywhere, so I thought I’d pass some of them along.

First up, the small tree in the garden was a hawthorn, Crataegus persimilis ‘Prunifolia’. All hawthorns provide a wealth of resources for small birds – caterpillars in the spring, berries in the autumn and winter, and lovely thorns to keep the cats and larger birds at bay. This hawthorn is a particularly thorny one, and I’m reminded of how the robin would always nest in the middle of my mother’s huge holly tree. This species comes originally from North America, so I can’t help wondering if the UK native hawthorns would encourage more biodiversity. Still, have a look at those thorns, and that autumn colour!

Holly is indeed another suggested tree, along with crab apple (which provides a bonanza of fallen fruit for thrushes in the autumn)

Crataegus prunifolia (Photo by Kew on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/kewonflickr/6189661628)

The middle layer of shrubs in the garden included elderflower and dog rose, and there was also a yew hedge – it’s important for small birds to have a high point where they can check for predators (such as the hawthorn) but also a kind of covered pathway, so that they can travel to a food source without being too exposed. Other shrubs that the charity suggest include spindle, firethorn and, interestingly, lavender – this last plant attracts ridiculous quantities of insects, which can come in handy when the birds have fledglings. For example, although house sparrows are largely grain-eating, they will hunt for flies as a source of protein when their youngsters are just out of the nest.

Spindle (Euonymus europaeus)

The climbing hydrangea in my garden has become a positive beacon for birds this year, with tits and finches and sparrows all picking off insects, but clematis and honeysuckle are also recommended, both for the shelter that they provide and for the insects that they attract. And honeysuckle has berries in the winter too!

Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum)

Perennials that are recommended include perennial cornflower, coneflower, phlomis and Bodnant verbena, both for the insects that they attract and for their seeds. But no teasel? Maybe Songbird Survival are afraid that once people plant teasel, they’ll never be without it.

Teasel with lots of baby teasels….

Suggested annuals include nasturtium, largely because of the caterpillars that it attracts, and sunflower and annual cornflower for their value as pollinator plants, and for their seeds.

Nasturtiums at OmVed Garden in Highgate

Other things that are important for birds in a garden include a water source, a wood pile, a dead hedge and, most importantly, a no-tolerance approach to biocides of all kinds. It really rams home the idea that if we look after the insects and other invertebrates in our gardens, we are likely to be helping everything else as well. And to help the insects, it’s not just about the flowers for the adults, it’s also about decent, healthy soil for the springtails and earthworms and bacteria too. Everything starts from the bottom of the pyramid.

Springtail Duetonura Monticola, Photo by Philippe Garcelon CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=93328444

Have you found anything that has improved life for your small garden birds? Do share!