More Trees, Please Discover why they're at the root of any plan
to attract birds and butterflies. By Kris Wetherbee, Oakland,
Oregon I've always been enamored by trees. They can add elegant
stature, unique character or beautiful blooms to the landscape.
But trees make yards lively in other ways, too. As a group,
trees have the potential to be the most valuable resource in
your yard for attracting birds and butterflies. Trees offer
multipurpose appeal as cover from the elements and predators,
and offer places for birds and butterflies to perch, rest and
produce offspring. Trees also can provide edibles in the form of
fruit, seeds, nuts, nectar, pollen, insects or sap. Take a Look
Around If you don't have many trees in your yard, or if they're
not helping you attract the birds and butterflies you'd like, I
have some suggestions that will give you a good start. As with
any project, it's best to take stock of what you have first.
Make note of the trees in your yard. Do they vary in structure,
height, bloom season