“Bird Gardening Is Easier Than I Expected,” She Told Me.
southwest garden guide 
Mother Nature already has one massive desert bird garden all around us! We just need to modify our yards to inviter the birds in.
There are so many species of desert birds – and just a few are covered in 15 Things You Didn't Know About Desert Birds. I started turning my landscape into a bird garden because I was enchanted with the few desert birds that stopped by and made some mistakes - that I shared in 3 Common Mistakes. Later, I became a garden coach, and taught others to create their own bird gardens.
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My last few posts have been about creating a bird garden for our Southwest desert birds. These varied and beautiful birds that come in so many different shapes and sizes, colors and calls, abilities and aptitudes. Some birds munch on ants, others snarf down seeds, and still others sip nectar. Is it even possible to have a garden to attract all of these? You bet!
Mother Nature already has one massive desert bird garden all around us! We just need to modify our yard into a island that is just like the wild habitat and the birds will find us. It's easier than you might think.
I Want A Bird Garden – But …
One specific client couple - from back when I was a Garden Coach - comes to mind. Sharon and Bob had just moved to the Southwest and were in a community with a very (ahem – searching for the polite term) “fierce” Home Owners Association. Their yard – front and back – was a sea of gravel with few native plants. On our first meeting Sharon expressed her doubts that a bird garden could be achieved given their HOA. Bob thought it would be too much work.
About 6 weeks after meeting with me and planting the design I had created for them, Sharon called to excitedly report a Say's phoebe in their yard. “Bird Gardening is easier than I thought!” she declared.
Thus I do know - it can be done!
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Coaching and Classes Too
It's not just one-on-one coaching where people can learn Bird Gardening. I have been teaching Community Classes for over 3 decades – in botanical gardens, arboreta, universities, and through public libraries, all across this nation. I love to share with people just how easy it can be to grow, and to use the fruits of your gardens and landscapes.
For the past decade I have given my“Bird Gardening” class various venues in the Southwest, including recently at a professional landscape conference. One of the landscapers, a gentleman with an extensive business and a string of awards, came up to me afterwards and thanked me for opening his eyes to a new way of designing landscapes. I was deeply touched by his thoughtfulness, and I was truly humbled by the fact that someone tops in his field had something to learn from me.
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Food for Thought
Maybe I am using the wrong words. Does the “creating” bit sound daunting? It shouldn't be! You head into the kitchen to create your meals – it's (generally) not too hard to slap a tasty and nutritious dinner together. It doesn't have to be Thanksgiving Dinner every day! Same with a bird garden. Create your garden with the right plants, in the right place, and viola! (Almost) instant bird garden. You plant it and they will come.
Bird Gardening Class is Here!
The “Bird Gardening" class is done and up!
Hope you will consider it.
As always the Gardening With Soule Membership Club folks get the class for free - it's one of the "perks." So if you have thought about joining - why not today?!
Jacqueline
PS – because the NewZenler course site is based in Europe, the sign-up is a tad more formal than here in the USA. Don't let it worry you.
Categories: birds, desert gardening, Desert Gardening Success