A quick-reference guide to attracting birds and butterflies for
gardeners with little experience and time.
In the eye of a bird or butterfly, the typical suburban landscape
resembles an unfriendly desert. Closely mowed lawns, tightly clipped
shrubs, raked-up borders, and deadheaded flowers mean no place to nest,
no food to eat, and nowhere to hide. To the humans who live there, this
means no bird songs, no colorful butterflies, no dazzling hummingbirds,
no night-sparkling fireflies.
Creating a garden that welcomes these creatures may seem like a
confusing and complicated task, but the principles involved are
relatively simple. Essentially, wildlife needs food, water, and shelter,
just like we do, and this lavishly illustrated guide shows which plants
attract which creatures, and how to plant and care for them.