5 Plant cover bushes and shrubs
All birds need cover in which to roost in winter, to use to escape predators, and in some cases, to build their nests in. Holly, Ivy and Hawthorn are all excellent in this respect, as well as providing food, as mentioned earlier, but there are plenty of other options, too. Try these:
Berberis provides ground cover for birds, plus berries. An evergreen, it prefers full sun and moist soil, growing to around 3m. Look for Berberis thunbergii atropurpurea ‘Nana’ if you want to grow a prickly hedge. It flowers between April and May.
Bramble (or blackberry) has small white or pink flowers that provide nectar and pollen for insects, purple fruit in late summer and autumn, and offers good cover all year. It’s also not fussy about conditions, but needs regular pruning to keep it in check.
Cornelian cherry grows well in most soils, and can reach 8m in height. It works well alongside evergreens such as Holly, which complements its delicate yellow flowers which open in late winter. It can produce large crops of fruit.
Most Dogwoods have coloured stems, brightening up a winter garden, but you need to cut them back every other year in early spring for best results. They produce clusters of small, round black berries in August and September.
Guelder Rose can spread if not controlled, so a variety such as Viburnum opulus ‘Compactum’ is ideal – it grows up to 1.5m tall and wide. It tolerates shade, and has tiny white flowers, and small dark blue-black fruits.
Spindle is found particularly on alkaline soils, growing up to 2m tall. Its narrow leaves turn reddish purple in autumn and it has unusual-shaped, bright pink fruits. On acid soils, a good alternative is the Rowan.