While you’ve been spending more time at home, have you noticed many native birds in your garden? If you have some time to plan out your next garden projects, choosing native plants can attract native birds and insects to your neighbourhood.
During the roll-out of Neighbourhood Nurseries, a recent biodiversity project we worked on with FOLKL, Ministry for the Environment, and the University of Otago, we had the chance to talk to people about plants that can make your garden more friendly for native birds and insects.
A favourite was Kākābeak, which has bright red flowers and could use our help, as it’s endangered in the wild.
Other low maintenance, native species include Wharariki, a flax with lush green foliage, Kōwhai with beautiful yellow flowers to feed Tui, Koromiko, a hardy evergreen, and Tī Kouka, (cabbage tree) which is a great source of food for native birds.
Gardens make up 36% of Aotearoa’s city spaces, and the more gardens native plants appear in, the better!