I am thrilled to introduce our third gardening-themed special issue of Birding! Our last gardening issue, in April 2024, was one of the best received in years, and I hope the editorial team and I have managed to do it justice in this next iteration! These gardening issues are quite different from anything else seen from the ABA. Rather than the standard handful of beefy feature articles heavily concentrating on birds, these issues comprise a series of essays from wildlife gardeners spread out over Canada and the U.S.
In their essays, these gardeners offer practical tips for gardening in their area/climate, both for aesthetics and, especially, wildlife. They also share their overall philosophies of gardening, their favorite native plants, proper growing conditions, and which invasive plants you should avoid in your garden. You’ll see an emphasis on plants that are specifically beneficial to birds (e.g., tubular flowers for hummingbirds, berries for thrushes, asters for sparrows) and insect pollinators.
But plants, in general, are food for insects, which are food for birds. Just check out our amazing cover photo by Matthew Dolkart for an example. So, you’ll see many more plants whose connections to birds may not be so obvious. These intimate connections, among plants, insects, animals, and people, are much of what Laurel Ladwig talks about in her essay.
While most of our essayists rightly emphasize planting native species, carefully selected non-native plants can also be beneficial to native wildlife. For example, where I live in north-central Texas, non-native Gregg’s mistflower (Conoclinum greggii) is a butterfly magnet in summer, and non-native Galeana sage (Salvia darcyi) is beloved by hummingbirds. Neither is invasive here. Meanwhile, privet (Ligustrum spp.) is a fast-spreading and quick-growing scourge that shades out native forest understories. Never plant species that are invasive in your area. When in doubt, leave it out of your garden, and always be a good neighbor by ensuring that every non-native plant and its offspring remain contained.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to own land to garden for wildlife! A couple pots on a patio or front step filled with blooming red cardinal-flower (Lobelia cardinalis) or hummingbird mint (Agastache sp.) are probably all you need to attract hummingbirds to your home. And a small boxed herb garden with blooming basil, thyme, and rosemary will be much appreciated by local pollinators. Beyond providing food and shelter with plants, perhaps the simplest thing you can do to attract and help birds is to provide a safe, clean, and dependable source of water for bathing and drinking. This can be anything from a small birdbath with a $15 solar-powered bubbler to a more elaborate water feature with a drip.
We’ve tried to offer perspectives from varied geographic areas, but with only eight essays, inevitably not all regions and climates will be represented in these pages. If you are a wildlife gardener in one of these areas, I welcome you to write an essay for the next Gardening issue. And speaking of your contributions, the ABA continually strives to make heard the voices of historically marginalized and under-represented groups in birding. We urgently want and need to hear more and varied perspectives in these pages, so that we can all become more informed and understanding birders.
I hope that there is something of use and interest to you in this issue. Please don’t ever hesitate to contact me at mretter@aba.org with your ideas for future content. Even better: Write about it yourself for the next issue! And finally, please consider sharing this issue by giving your hard copy to a friend or family member when you’re done.
Happy Gardening and Good Birding!
Michael L. P. Retter
Editor, Birding Special Issues
