Spring is traditionally the season when our gardens come alive with birds. While urban sprawl has meant native bird habitat has receded in many places, our backyards offer an opportunity to emulate nature and attract birds back to the suburbs. Joanna Bodley gets advice from the native plant experts.

Cumberland Nurserys Guy Wallace said a garden suitable for birds will have three layers, each with their own important functions.

The canopy provides safe harbour and food for large birds like the honeyeaters and wrens, while smaller birds inhabit the shrubby understory and finches require the grasslands for their food, Guy said.

Almost all birds will retreat to the canopy if disturbed.

Understanding there are three distinct layers, the home gardener can then begin to look at each layer separately and create a bird-friendly garden, he said.

Generally the principles for each layer are the same - providing foliage density and a diversity of food sources are the keys to a successful bird garden.

The density of the foliage provides protection for birds and the ability to nest, while the diversity of the food assists in attracting a wider range of birds to your garden.

The selection of native plants for birds is not a difficult one, without fail almost all native plants will offer something to native birds, said Guy.

Some plants are always better than others and lateral thinking will assist in these decisions, for example large trees will encourage large birds whereas finer branching plants will discourage noisy miners and cats.

Guy said once the plants are chosen, effective planting will help reduce the amount of water required for establishing your garden renovation this spring and summer.

You can still have an interesting and colourful garden, even in the driest times, he said. A well maintained native garden not only saves you water; it is low maintenance, and will save you both time and money.

Forests NSW Nurseries are specialists in native plants. Some of our nurseries grow plants under a reduced water regime so that the process of drought-proofing has begun before you purchase our plants. This means they are hardier once planted out, said Guy.

Our nurseries are in a range of locations across the state, with our qualified staff available to offer the best local native plant advice to home gardeners, Guy said.

Bird-attracting plants

Seeds and berries

• Callitris- native cypresses
  
• Casuarina- she oaks
  
• Grevillea
  
• Lomandra
  

Nectar

• Correa- native fuchsia
  
• Syzygium- lillypilly
  
• Stenocarpus- firewheel tree

Nesting and shelter

• Acacia spp.
  
• Eucalyptus spp.
  
• Hakea spp.
  
• Leptospermum spp.
  
• Melaleuca spp.
  

All purpose - The best of the best

• Acacia spp.
  
• Banksia spp.
  
• Callistemon - bottlebrushes
  
• Eucalyptus spp.
  
• Grevillea spp.
  
• Hakea spp.

Planting tips for abird-friendly garden

1.Correct selection: Choose the correct species for the garden, taking care to group your plants by their preferred aspect. If you include some more water-needy species, plant them in one area.

2. Improve soil: Improve your soil before planting. Adding compost will help increase water holding capacity. Make sure the soil is thoroughly soaked before planting.

3.Planting: Remember to use correct planting techniques so the plant is planted at the correct height, making sure the hole is twice the diameter of the pot. Add a small amount of slow release fertiliser to the hole.

4. Watering: After planting, you will need to water regularly for the first couple of weeks. Then begin to condition the plants to longer periods without water. A deep water once a week is far better than a quick water each day. Remember the lower the watering regime, the more tolerant the plants will become to drought.

5. Mulching: Once you have planted your garden, mulching is the most important factor. There are many types of mulch available - even crushed sandstone. It keeps moisture in the soil and the organic types will eventually decompose, further conditioning your soil. Another advantage to mulching is keeping the soil at a more constant temperature, this reduces the stress on the plants and therefore reducing their moisture requirements, 75-100mm of mulch is the recommended depth for this.

6.Pruning: Native plants need to be pruned to keep their shape and to rejuvenate their growth. Late autumn or spring are the best times for this.

This article appears in the Spring/Summer 2009 edition of Bush Telegraph Magazine.