The Ultimate Wildlife Habitat Garden: Attract and Support Birds, Bees, and Butterflies

Tornio (Dear Graduate), former editor of Birds & Blooms magazine, presents an informative handbook for cultivating a wildlife-friendly garden. To attract birds, she recommends providing a birdbath and feeders (tray feeders can accommodate larger birds, she notes, while sugar-water feeders attract orioles and hummingbirds). She details the dietary and nesting habits of dozens of birds, explaining that pine siskins eat flowers and make their homes in conifer trees while tree swallows chow down on berries and nest in “natural cavities.” Profiles of butterflies discuss what plants each species is drawn to, observing that the American lady seeks out edelweiss and ironweed and that the silver-spotted skipper prefers wisteria. Tornio also describes what climates various trees, shrubs, and flowers thrive in, how much sunlight exposure each plant needs, and what kinds of creatures they attract, though she unfortunately doesn’t specify which species. For instance, she reports that black-eyed Susans require direct sunlight and draw birds and butterflies but doesn’t mention which types. Still, readers will appreciate the suggestions on which plants make for aesthetically pleasing combinations when grown together. (The “hummingbird garden” consists of rose of Sharon, cardinal flowers, and lungwort.) Gardeners will find some useful tips on attracting wildlife. (Feb.)