which small tree/lg shrub for wildlife

mrs_baggins

I want to buy son a tree/shrub. He is desperate to attarct birds to his garden but so far is unlucky. He has a nature reserve close by, the land of his house was remediated so no large trees about. he has put up bird boxes, insect logs, ladybird catchers and all kinds of things.
He already has a small sorbus and is after a plant that will ultimately not grow over 5 metres. Its also quite close to his house so nothing that will get too big. He has a small child so nothing thorny or poisonous and hopefully something which has more than 1 season of interest. I have just gone blank at the mo!

Farway

If it were not fore samll child I would sugest a small pond, nothing atracts wildlife more than water

Buddleia of course for bees / butterflies. Chives, lavender, sage & rosemary for bees / hoverflies [and the kitchen]

PS, depending on child, a pyrocantha would attract bees / hoverflies in Spring blossom, and the birds will love the berries come Autumn. They are prickly though

mrs_baggins

Farway wrote: »

If it were not fore samll child I would sugest a small pond, nothing atracts wildlife more than water

Buddleia of course for bees / butterflies. Chives, lavender, sage & rosemary for bees / hoverflies [and the kitchen]

PS, depending on child, a pyrocantha would attract bees / hoverflies in Spring blossom, and the birds will love the berries come Autumn. They are prickly though

Think a pond is out of question as little one is only one. I think the same for pyracanthas. I have some and those thorns are awesome!! And I know thet are there and still get attacked! but thanks anyway for the thoughts

noxon

In the tiny garden in my old house I had a cotoneaster which was about 2m tall, the flowers, leaves and berries were all gorgeous and it attracted incredible numbers of insects and birds.

There's loads of different cotoneaster's so I was never sure what variety it was (have saved some self-sown seedlings for my new garden) but suspect from online searches that it was maybe cotoneaster simonsii or similar.

http://www.jacksonsnurseries.co.uk/plantcard/CotoneasterSimonsii/1139.aspx

emiff6

I have an Italian buckthorn near the house. I keep it clipped to about 5ft high and the little birds love it, because they can vanish inside it when disturbed from the bird feeders. It is variagated, evergreen, nice and "twiggy " inside (for perching), has small leaves, white flowers in spring and berries in autumn. Anything that gives them some cover will encourage birds to visit the garden, provided there is food available (the only reason they are going to come at all).
BTW Italian buckthorn, in spite of the name, has NO thorns.

amcluesent

> a pyrocantha would attract bees / hoverflies in Spring blossom, and the birds will love the berries come Autumn. <

Yep, I have a firethorn next to a yew topiary and the small birds nest in the later and perch on the former, I guess they know cats can't get near them.

Davesnave

I agree with Cotoneaster, possibly cornubia, which I have pruned and shaped into a formal small tree before now, but it could be left to grow more naturally and still pruned to under 5m. That way, there would be more berries, which on my 'natural' tree, attracted redwings at Christmas time and blackbirds thereafter. The flowers in early summer attracted so many insects they could be heard as well as seen.

mrs_baggins

thanks all. will have a look at those plants suggested in a minute. its given me a starter though!