Winter is a great time to see birds in your garden.

Seeing the antics of the flying creatures throughout the day creates a warm vibe in the frosty weather. So, add a few of these winter plants to your garden before these birds become flies.

Sasanqua camellias will attract a lot of birds that will dart in and out of the shrubs feeding on the nectar-rich flowers. Even though the individual flowers are short-lived, there are so many buds still to open that the birds will be eating well for quite a few weeks to come.

The japonica camellias are also a great flower to attract birds. Although they bloom later in the winter season, having a few camellias in the garden provides a bird buffet for months.

Sea of colour

Our team of experienced landscapers in Sydney thinks that you should consider adding coral trees (Erythrina x sykesii) to improve your garden’s appearance. Imagine this tree in full bloom in the winter – a red slash against the bare, wintery paddocks.

When the coral tree starts to open, the lorikeets arrive. From June to early August when the trees are blooming, your garden will be filled with the sounds of them chattering and bickering among the flowers.

Although it is a great bird tree, coral trees are not really ideal as an avenue planting. They have thorny trunks and brittle branches that a liable to break off in the wind. On the plus side, however, they grow from a branch, are bare in winter letting the sun stream through, and are very drought-hardy.

Native offerings

None of the plants mentioned so far are native Australian plants but they are all winter flowering, laden with nectar, and attractive to native birds. Adding some native plants to the mix – particularly more that flower in winter – means even more birds visiting your garden.

Banksias are among the best of all native plants to grow to feed birds and there are many species and named varieties so there’s one for just about every garden.

Grevilleas are also bird-attracting. Their spidery or toothbrush flowers are full of nectar and highly attractive to native birds. Most grevilleas flower for many months and come back into bloom after a light trim.

As winter turns to spring the bottlebrush burst into bloom providing rich pickings for the birds.

Seed-eaters

Don’t forget the seed-eating birds as you plant your garden. One of the best plants at all, from the birds’ point of view, is winter grass. The seeds provide food for little birds to help them grow big and strong.

Wattles, also blooming now, will soon be laden with seedpods for the larger seed-feeding birds such as native pigeons. She-oaks are a favourite of the black cockatoos and also provide a fast-growing screen tree in gardens.

You don’t have to add all of these plants to your garden. Select a few to improve your garden and liven up your backyard with some beautiful birds.

And if you don’t know where to begin, call us (1300 374 273) or email us for an Onsite Consultation and we’ll be more than happy to give you a hand.