If you love the idea of sharing your garden with lots of birds and butterflies, but it's currently devoid of any wildlife, there are some simple steps you can take to make your garden more welcoming. Birds and butterflies are pleasant to look at and their presence can help some people to relax and enjoy their outdoor space more, but they also benefit your garden. Birds will eat invasive insects and butterflies will pollinate your plants, so if you're a keen gardener, it's wise to make your garden attractive to birds and butterflies. Here are some ways you can attract birds and butterflies with intentional landscaping:

Ditch Chemical Weed Control

It's likely no surprise that chemical weed control products aren't exactly wildlife friendly. In fact, some can be harmful to small birds and butterflies, and if you don't have other sources of greenery in your garden, eradicating every weed will leave your garden looking pretty unattractive to wildlife. To control weeds without the use of chemicals, consider using landscaping fabric. This thick material blocks out light and is impenetrable. You can lay it and leave it as it is, or you can cover it with woodchips to create a more natural look. You can also use decorative aggregates, such as pebbles or gravel, to suppress weed growth. Aggregates work well along borders and paths and come in a range of colours to complement the overall style of your garden.

Be Intentional When Selecting Plants

You may not want to limit your garden beds to native plants only, but native plants will attract native birds and butterfly species. Consider adding a few native plants and shrubs to your beds and ensure you also include lots of flowering plants to produce nectar for butterflies to enjoy. Birds will be attracted by plants that produce berries, so dedicate a small corner of your garden to the birds and let them feast on raspberries, blueberries and redcurrants.

Offer Some Perks

If you want your garden to be a favourite place for the local bird and butterfly population to hang out, offer some perks. Install a water fountain or bird bath to let birds cool off on a warm day and buy or make a little butterfly house to provide shelter in bad weather. These little perks are inexpensive, but they can really help boost the number of visitors to your garden and allow you to provide a little care and comfort at the same time.

Being intentional with your landscaping can allow you to enjoy a wide variety of beautiful birds and butterflies in your garden. If you'd like information on native plants or the best non-chemical weed control products for your garden, visit your local garden centre.

Contact a provider of landscaping supplies to learn more.