A New Holland honeyeater made the most of early-flowering crimson bottlebrushes in a cottage garden one fine spring day.
The honeyeater chirped with excitement as it flitted from flower to flower, dipping its head between the spiky petals. Golden pollen clung to its black-and-white head so it looked like a different species.
A larger and more aggressive yellow wattlebird watched what the new holland was up to and muscled in, out to claim the pollen and nectar treasure as its own. The smaller honeyeater held its ground, however. And in a flurry of wings and snapping beak put its far larger rival to flight.
The sparring took place in the showpiece garden of Eggs and Bacon Bay Cottage on the banks of the Huon River just south of Cygnet.
I had been alerted to the open-garden event – a Lion’s Club fund-raiser for Parkinson’s disease research – by gardening writer Jennifer Stackhouse in her weekly column in the Saturday Mercury.
The flowering plants were supposed to be the focus but as usual I was drawn to the birds. I was looking for Tasmania’s rich diversity of garden species.
When I visit gardens – or sit in my own – I’m reminded that the beauty of flower, shrub and tree is not merely for human benefit. Our birds – and mammals, reptiles and amphibians – depend on them, too, along with the often overlooked insects which are also important for pollination together with providing a food source for other wildlife.
The role insects play in gardens is often overlooked and misunderstood. Many people see them as a nuisance, flies and mosquitos to be swatted, wasps and bees to be avoided, spider webs to be brushed away. Perversely, some insects are responsible for the control of other species that damage garden plants, like aphids and the black mould their honeydew leaves behind. When reaching for pesticides, it is worth considering the predator ladybirds and the beauty of butterflies
As Australia’s suburbs expand, covering ever greater areas of bush with concrete and glass, the role of the humble garden is becoming increasingly important in creating a sanctuary and haven for wildlife under threat.
Providing a home for birds does not require the knowledge, skills and time that we see in the bucolic spaces that regularly feature on the open-garden circuit, like the one at Eggs and Bacon Bay Cottage.
All that’s required is a good spread of flowering plants – exotic, native or both – which flower at different times of the year. These will also produce seeds, nuts and fruit for species that do not rely on pollen and nectar. And they will also attract insects, providing food for insectivores like grey fantails and welcome swallows.
Low-lying plants with densely packed, pricky foliage will also provide safety and security for common ground-feeding birds.
The garden can be all things to both people and birds.