Birdbaths

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bird baths are a site feature designed to retain water in a puddle-like form for purposes of attracting wildlife, usually birds, to the garden. In some climates, these are filled seasonally in warm months, in others they may be year-round garden features. Wildlife stopping by for a drink or a cooling splash can add the excitement of activity to many types of garden spaces, enhancing them for both fauna and users.

Bird baths may be either manufactured products or custom installations, or a combination of the two (a manufactured element mounted to a custom base, for example). There are many manufacturers producing a wide variety of styles, so it is very likely that an existing product can be found to fit any garden aesthetic, although they are not complicated to construct should a custom installation be desired.

Location

Ideally, a bird bath should be located in a shady spot underneath a tree or near a large shrub, and preferably either somewhere central to the garden or where it can be viewed from a desired vantage point (such as a porch or patio). Birds tend to approach these features cautiously, so the more inviting the location seems from their perches in the tree above, the better!

Mounting

As most birdbaths are not especially heavy or complex, they can usually be installed directly on the ground in either a lawn or plant bed. The earth should be tamped directly beneath the unit to be sure that uneven settlement does not cause it to topple or shift once placed. The designer may want to consider installing a small area of crushed stone or pea gravel around the base of the bird bath so that any overflow or splashing does not saturate the surrounding lawn or plant bed soil.

Some bird baths may come from the manufacturer in several pieces, with a separate base and top piece being a common division. In this case, it is best to prepare the area and install the base piece(s) first, before adding the top to the installed base.

The most important thing when integrating a bird bath into the garden is to have fun with it – fun and excitement are the objective! Don’t be afraid to select a design that adds a pop of color to an otherwise subdued palette.

 

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