At this time of year my thoughts turn to making sure that I have plenty of food in the garden for the birds. Berries are ripening nicely on shrubs and roses, but I know they will soon be eaten once they are ripe, they don’t think to keep some for later!
No 1
The pyracantha by the front gate is the first to show the colour of its berries. The birds will soon strip this bush once they start, mainly blackbirds and thrushes.
no 2
Cotoneaster horizontalis growing up the side of the kitchen wall. This is beloved by the bees in the spring when in flower, now it is the birds turn.
No 3
The purple berberis by the front door has a good covering of berries even though all its leaves dropped in the heat of the summer. Most winters I see redwings and fieldfares eating here.
No 4
Rose hips on a rose that has put up suckers, I think the original has died but the sucker has flowered beautifully all summer in spite of the heat and now it is covered with hips, so is welcome to stay.
No 5
Arum italicum marmoratum are still popping up all over the garden. I’m not sure what is spreading the seed around but they are doing a good job and the foliage earlier in the year is beautiful.
No 6
I have so many hypericum plants in the garden, most are pulled out, but there are always some left to provide the birds with food and the whole process starts off again! It is the birds that I blame for this!
I know the wildlife will eat all the berries far too soon and then it will be up to me to provide extra food for them, a job that I am very willing to do. As well as the birds eating most of the berries, of course my doormice will be fattening up ready to hibernate along with other little mammals, hopefully I have enough food for them all.
Thanks once again to Jon The Propagator, why not pay him a visit to see what is happening in gardens around the world.
The bees do love the Cotoneaster in Spring.
They certainly do Rosie and the birds love it in the autumn!
The birds certainly aren’t going to go hungry in your garden. A great selection, especially the rose hips.
There’s certainly plenty for them at the moment Graeme, but how long will they last?
A bird smorgasbord!
Yes Jane, you could put it that way! I hope they enjoy it!
What a feast Pauline. I am sure the birds know there will be more to come later care of your generosity! Still enjoy the lovely display as long as it lasts.
I suppose they do know that I won’t let them down Denise, later in the winter they just sit and wait by the back door!
What a delightful feast for the eyes and the birds!xxx
They certainly have plenty to eat at this time of year Dina and yes, I do enjoy looking at them all, they add a different element to the garden.x
What a great selection of berries Pauline! There is a stand of cotoneaster along the edge of a footpath near me which I ‘eye up’ for potential vase material when the berries form – but they are always stripped really quickly!
You’re right Cathy, they don’t last long, not with my greedy birds anyway!