Bird Attracting

Choosing bird attracting plants by the birds you want

Nectar feeders are the easiest to please. Grevillea 'Moonlight' carries large cream flower brushes on a 4m shrub, Kings Park Special Bottlebrush holds red brushes at a similar size, and Coast Banksia (Banksia integrifolia) feeds honeyeaters from a tough 8m coastal tree. Fruit brings in a different crowd: Lilly Pilly 'Resilience' follows its flowers with berries on a dense 5m screen, Blueberry Ash (Elaeocarpus reticulatus) hangs blue fruit through its canopy, and Native Gardenia offers perfumed flowers then yellow fruit in frost free gardens. For seed eaters, wattles such as the fast growing Brisbane Golden Wattle (Acacia fimbriata) do the work.

One warning from experience: a garden of only large nectar plants ends up ruled by big aggressive honeyeaters. Mix in fine leaved, dense shrubs so wrens and finches have somewhere safe to retreat.

Where these plants work

With over 700 options the range covers every climate. Most suit subtropical and warm temperate gardens, around 300 handle cool temperate winters, and coastal gardeners have more than 400 salt tolerant choices. Nearly two thirds are Australian natives, and the grevillea range alone runs from groundcovers to small trees, so there is a bird feeder for a balcony pot as much as a bush block.

Planting a layered bird garden

Birds use a garden in layers, so plant it that way. A tree or two for canopy and nectar, shrubs in the middle storey for food and nesting, and groundcovers below for the foragers. Space Kings Park Special 1.5m apart as a screen, Snowstorm Melaleuca 1m apart for a low flowering hedge at 1.8m, and Grevillea 'Forest Rambler' 1m apart for full groundcover. Add a birdbath in the open near a dense shrub: cover close enough to escape to, but not close enough to hide a cat.

Care that keeps the birds coming

Water new plants deeply twice a week through their first summer and feed natives with a low phosphorus fertiliser in spring. Skip systemic insecticides anywhere near a bird garden, because insects are half the menu even for honeyeaters. Prune flowering natives lightly straight after they finish so next season's flowers multiply. Our guide to the top bird attracting native plants ranks the proven performers.

Common questions

Which plants attract honeyeaters and lorikeets?

Nectar rich natives: grevilleas, banksias, melaleucas and the whole bottlebrush family. Larger flowering trees like Golden Penda and Ivory Curl Tree bring lorikeets down from the canopy.

How do I attract small birds like wrens?

Shelter first, food second. Dense, fine leaved shrubs planted in groups give small birds cover from predators and larger birds. Groundcover grevilleas and low melaleuca hedges work better for them than tall open trees.

Do bird attracting gardens need to be all native?

No. Fruiting and flowering exotics feed plenty of species, which is why they appear here. Natives simply carry more of the nectar load, especially through winter.

How does delivery work?

Every plant is delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and everything carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.