Backyard Birding And Butterfly Gardening

Learn how to: • Attract particular species by choosing the right foods, plants, trees, water sources, and nesting materials • Create a garden, region by region, that will be an oasis for birds and butterflies • Instantly recognize, and attract, those birds you are most likely to see—including the top birds found nationally as well as in Eastern and Western locations • Identify species by field marks, plumage, and more • Make your yard the hummingbird capital of the neighborhood • Fend off predators and other uninvited backyard guests

A quick-reference guide to attracting birds and butterflies for gardeners with little experience and time. In the eye of a bird or butterfly, the typical suburban landscape resembles an unfriendly desert. Closely mowed lawns, tightly clipped shrubs, raked-up borders, and deadheaded flowers mean no place to nest, no food to eat, and nowhere to hide. To the humans who live there, this means no bird songs, no colorful butterflies, no dazzling hummingbirds, no night-sparkling fireflies. Creating a garden that welcomes these creatures may seem like a confusing and complicated task, but the principles involved are relatively simple. Essentially, wildlife needs food, water, and shelter, just like we do, and this lavishly illustrated guide shows which plants attract which creatures, and how to plant and care for them.

Whether you’re installing a new garden bed or trying to attract orioles for the first time, it helps to start with the right information. And here it is! In this book, experts and readers from North America's #1 Bird and Garden Magazine, Birds & Blooms, give their tried-and-true advice. Attracting birds and butterflies has never been simpler—plus you’ll get the latest tips and advice for supporting the dwindling bee population, which experts say is essential for the future of gardening. Inside this book, you’ll find irresistible plants for birds, butterflies, and bees, creative garden designs for year-round beauty, and our top plant lists to take the guesswork out of gardening. No matter what the subject, everyone wants advice they can trust. This is certainly the case when it comes to the backyard. Whether you’re installing a new garden bed or trying to attract orioles for the first time, it helps to start with the right information. And here it is! Birds, butterflies and bees rely on plants, trees and shrubs to survive and thrive. That’s why doing your part for the environment by establishing critter-friendly areas in your own backyard is so crucial. Chances are, your garden is already a welcoming space for all kinds of nature, but with a little extra research and planning, you can take your gardening a couple steps further and transform your yard into a healthier and happier sanctuary for birds, butterflies and bees. This book, brought to you by the editors of Birds & Blooms magazine, can serve as your guide to attracting new visitors to your landscape. Birds & Blooms has helped lead the trend we like to call “gardening with a purpose” for over 20 years. We’ve always recognized the importance of going beyond just the beauty of a garden, and purposefully choosing flowers, trees and shrubs specifically for their environmental benefits. Birds count on healthy trees and plants as natural food sources and nesting sites. Butterflies need nectar-rich blooms for nourishment. Very specific host plants are key to caterpillar survival. And as bee populations decline, flowers that provide nectar and pollen are more essential than ever. Each of these creatures requires natural shelter as well, which trees and shrubs readily provide. If you’re ready to commit to sharing your garden with all sorts of nature, sit down with this book and let us help you create a successful space. All of the 250+ featured plants are not only gorgeous and colorful, but they offer a lot of environmental benefits, too. We made sure to include amazing photos of every plant we’re recommending, so you’ll be able to see what each plant looks like and immediately know if it’s a good fit for your garden. We even went a step further and put together some handy symbols to help you achieve the wildlife-friendly backyard of your dreams. Look for the symbols next to each plant profile to discover what the plant will attract. (Some plants are a triple whammy and attract birds, butterflies and bees!) For extra guidance, check the light-requirement symbols. You’ll be able to quickly see if a plant should be grown in shade, part-shade or full sun—vital info you need to know to create a great habitat. Once you’ve established a flourishing backyard, be sure to enjoy your new guests. Throughout this book, we’ve highlighted about 70 bird species and 35 butterfly species you might see in your space. Have fun identifying all of the birds, butterflies and bees in your own backyard! CONTENTS Introduction Chapter 1 Creating a Wildlife-Friendly Backyard Chapter 2 Annuals Chapter 3 Perennials Chapter 4 Grasses and Vines Chapter 5 Trees and Shrubs Chapter 6 Backyard Bird Profiles Chapter 7 Backyard Butterfly Profiles Chapter 8 Frequently Asked Questions Chapter 9 Backyard Projects and Resources Index

Butterfly gardening is the practice of attracting beautiful butterflies to your garden by growing common plants and flowers that they use for food and nectar. This fun and wonderfully simple activity will bring color, light, and beauty to your garden and home. With the relaxing and rewarding qualities of this outdoor hobby, it’s not hard to see why it’s sweeping the nation and growing in popularity. Mathew Tekulsky’s The Butterfly Garden is a complete, step-by-step guide to gardening for butterflies. You’ll learn about: • The butterfly life cycle, habitats, and behaviors • Choosing and obtaining food and nectar sources • Designing your garden • Options for country, suburban, and city gardens • Fifty common garden butterflies and the plants they like • Butterfly observation and conservation This guide will teach you everything you need to get started—whether you’re a suburban resident, the owner of a small urban garden, an apartment dweller, or a keeper of a country estate, you can enjoy frequent butterfly visits to your garden or window box. The key, Tekulsky believes, is learning some basic knowledge of butterfly characteristics and behavior and knowing how to meet the needs of the butterfly species most common in your neighborhood. Not only is butterfly gardening one of the easiest ways to enjoy these enchanting creatures, but it’s also a wonderful way to help conserve natural butterfly populations for generations to come. Learn how to create your own beautiful butterfly garden today!

Author Mathew Tekulsky wrote the first book on butterfly gardening for North America, nearly 40 years ago! Butterfly gardening is the practice of attracting beautiful butterflies to your garden by growing common plants and flowers that they use for food and nectar. This fun and wonderfully simple activity will bring color, light, and beauty to your garden and home. With the relaxing and rewarding qualities of this outdoor hobby, it’s not hard to see why it’s sweeping the nation and growing in popularity. How to Create a Butterfly Garden is a complete, step-by-step guide to gardening for butterflies. You’ll learn about: The butterfly life cycle, habitats, and behaviors Choosing and obtaining food and nectar sources Designing your garden Options for country, suburban, and city gardens Fifty common garden butterflies and the plants they like Butterfly observation and conservation This guide will teach you everything you need to get started—whether you’re a suburban resident, the owner of a small urban garden, an apartment dweller, or a keeper of a country estate, you can enjoy frequent butterfly visits to your garden or window box. The key, Tekulsky believes, is learning some basic knowledge of butterfly characteristics and behavior and knowing how to meet the needs of the butterfly species most common in your neighborhood. Not only is butterfly gardening one of the easiest ways to enjoy these enchanting creatures, but it’s also a wonderful way to help conserve natural butterfly populations for generations to come. Learn how to create your own beautiful butterfly garden today!

Attracting birds and butterflies has never been simpler with the tips, tricks and plant picks in this handy guide. Plus, you'll help support the dwindling bee population, which is essential to the future of gardening. Whether you're just starting out or are a bona fide green thumb, you'll turn to this can't-miss birding and gardening resource for years to come. Inside you'll find 250+ photos of plants that birds, butterflies and bees can't resist; DIY backyard projects; profiles and ideas for attracting the most-wanted backyard birds and butterflies; and answers to our most frequently asked backyard questions--Page 1 of cover.