Plants to grow around a bird feeder – experts recommend 7 top picks that offer extra benefits to our feathered friends

Perhaps you have a traditional bird table in your garden, or a simple hanging design you've made yourself. Either way, surrounding it with certain plants can provide extra benefits for our feathered friends, be it an additional source of sustenance or a space for them to shelter.

Adding plants for birds around your feeder won't just make it more attractive to wildlife, but it will also make it a more beautiful space for you to admire. After all, layers of lush foliage and vibrant flowers are much more interesting to look at than empty space, and might encourage more butterflies and bees to your backyard, too.

In this guide, experts share some of their top recommendations for planting around a bird feeder, from colorful perennials to berrying shrubs. Plus, there are plenty of quick tips on how to help them thrive.

1. Goldenrod – an easy-care perennial with sunshine-yellow blooms

Goldenrod (Solidago) is a show-stopping, summer-flowering perennial with bright yellow blooms.

Tess Renusch of the National Wildlife Federation recommends planting it around a bird feeder as its seedheads provide nutrition for finches, sparrows, and other songbirds in the fall and winter.

The tall, dense stems also provide cover and perching spots, she points out. Be sure to leave the stalks and seedheads standing through winter for these reasons – they can be cut back in the early spring, Tess says.

What's more, she highlights how goldenrod attracts insects and serves as a larval host plant for several species of butterflies, moths, and skippers, providing caterpillars that birds use to feed their young.

It thrives in full sun, and is robust and low-maintenance, Tess says. 'Some species are known for being vigorous spreaders.'

Tess Renusch

Tess's work as a nature educator has helped to connect people to nature right outside their door and realize the positive impact of planting native. She is an advocate for gardening for wildlife in spaces both big and small.

2. Serviceberry – for reliable shelter, spring blossom, and berries

Tess recommends planting serviceberry (Amelanchier), too, which can be grown as a shrub or a small tree.

She says that it produces small berries in late spring or early summer that are a favorite of various birds, and adds how the dense branches also provide nesting sites and reliable cover.

What's more, like the goldenrods, serviceberries are a larval host plant to several species of butterflies, providing caterpillars for birds to eat.

'Serviceberries are self-pollinating, but planting multiple species together can significantly increase berry production,' Tess continues. 'This plant is adaptable to dry to moist soil and prefers full sun to partial shade. Prune annually as needed in late winter or early spring to maintain a desirable shape and size.'

3. Little Bluestem – an ornamental grass that provides food for birds

Ornamental grasses are ideal for softening a scene and adding movement, and tend to be great choices for wildlife gardens. Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), another suggestion from Tess, is 'very hardy and adaptable, thriving in full sun and a wide range of soil types.

'This clump-forming grass provides essential nesting material and cover for ground-dwelling birds, such as juncos, quail, and some species of sparrows,' Tess says, adding how the seedheads also serve as a food source for birds during the fall and winter. It also attracts insects – 'which are a vital protein source for birds, especially during the breeding season.

'Avoid using pesticides or fertilizers, as this native plant is naturally resistant to most issues, and these chemicals can be harmful to wildlife,' Tess adds.

4. Coreopsis – a cheerful bloomer that can be grown in pots

Nikki Bruner of Perfect Plants Nursery recommends coreopsis (otherwise known as tickseed) for growing around a bird feeder, which 'blooms with soft yellow flowers and draws pollinators.

'When the flowers fade, the dried seedheads provide food for finches and sparrows,' she says. Bear this in mind before you start deadheading – be sure to leave some flowers intact at the end of the season for your feathered visitors to feast on.

A great contender for drought-tolerant planting schemes and container gardens, coreopsis is easy to look after, provided you grow it in full sun and avoid overwatering.

Nikki Bruner

Nikki Bruner is the marketing specialist at Perfect Plants Nursery. With a passion for plants and eight years of expertise in marketing, Nikki combines her knowledge of the nursery industry with her creative thinking to promote and highlight the exceptional offerings of Perfect Plants Nursery. She is dedicated to ensuring customer satisfaction and providing valuable insights for plant lovers.

5. Sweet Viburnum – fragrant flowers and fabulous for feathered friends

Nikki also adds sweet viburnum (Viburnum odoratissimum) to our list, highlighting its fragrant spring flowers and berries that birds love.

'The foliage is evergreen and lush, and can provide shelter for birds while serving as a privacy screen,' she adds. It's ideal for hedging, she continues – 'plant multiple together for a thick, wildlife-friendly screen.'

Sweet viburnum is available from the Perfect Plants Nursery website. Bear in mind that it's a fast-growing shrub and can reach tall heights, so ensure it has plenty of space.

6. Yarrow – a pollinator favorite that's super low-maintenance

Catherine Trudeau, landscape designer and partner of The Outside Design Studio, recommends Achillea millefolium, commonly known as yarrow, for our list.

'These plants have flat-topped flower clusters that float above ferny foliage and thrive in full sun and well-drained, dry soil. Their flowers attract beneficial insects, which would serve as a good food source for birds.'

She says the ‘Moonshine' (a bright yellow) and ‘Balinviolet’ (purple) varieties are both very pretty. Or, if you fancy adding a splash of red to your garden, try 'Strawberry Seduction™', available from Nature Hills. These herbaceous perennials are drought-tolerant once established.

Catherine Trudeau

With more than 15 years of experience designing landscapes, Catherine Trudeau blends artistry and horticulture while working closely with the unique needs of homeowners, builders, and developers to transform outdoor spaces. Driven by her innate love for plant life, Catherine dedicated her early career to residential landscape and retail, and later earned her Master's of Landscape Architecture degree from the College of Architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology.

7. Coral Honeysuckle 'Major Wheeler' – for happy hummingbirds

Another suggestion from Catherine is Lonicera sempervirens ‘Major Wheeler’ – a type of honeysuckle vine – as she says the red flowers attract hummingbirds. These bloom for a long time; from spring all the way until fall if conditions are just right.

It's a climber, so you'll need to put in something to support its growth, such as a trellis or arch. It thrives in full sun to part shade and well-drained soil, Catherine adds.

If you're particularly interested in welcoming hummingbirds to your space, you may want to plant other nectar-rich flowers that attract them, too.

Consider growing a mix of plants around your feeder for a variety of color, texture, and form across different levels. It's always useful to check the eventual growing size on labels when deciding what to plant where. And, be sure to read up on what not to feed birds and how to clean a bird feeder, to help keep these winged wonders happy and healthy.

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