Gardening for the Birds: How to Create a Bird-Friendly Backyard
Birds have been celebrated in Egyptian hieroglyphs, medieval tapestries, and countless paintings and poems through the ages, symbolizing freedom and joy, and bringing song and color to our lives. Creating a bird-friendly garden is the making of a sanctuary for birds and people. Adams’ how-to involves the use of native plants as the central structure both for building a cozy bird-welcoming ecosystem and aiding the preservation of North America’s distinctive natural heritage. He provides steps for planning, which include providing food, shelter, water, and nesting sites and planting wildflowers. His coverage includes information on gardening regions, soil pH, fertility, and drainage, and preparing the soil, choosing native plants, developing a landscape plan, working with small spaces (including urban terraces), and more. Adams also provides both a plant and bird directory. Full-color photos and drawings throughout complement the text, and appendix materials include a metric conversion chart, lists of resources, recommended reading, and an index, making for an engaging and inspiring comprehensive guide. --Whitney Scott