A few months ago a bird got stuck in my hair. This did not happen while I was out in the garden. But it almost certainly had something to do with how bird-friendly my landscape is.

After doing a major pruning on my coral bark maple, I channeled my inner Martha Stewart and created a wreath out of the bright red gleanings. (This all circles back to the bird-in-hair incident—stick with me.) Once finished, I hung my creation on the front door. It looked lovely, and it perfectly accented the nearby redtwig dogwood and winterberries flanking my front steps.

Well, apparently a little wren decided that my new twiggy wreath was the perfect “tree” to rest in after gorging itself on the nearby berries. All would have been fine if I hadn’t chosen that exact moment to open the front door, which scared the bird and sent it straight into my hair. I screamed and started flailing around until the bird thankfully dislodged itself. Then it promptly flew into the house through the open door.

By this time my husband had come to see what the racket was all about. I told him I thought a bird had flown into my hair and then inside the house. He didn’t fully believe me until he found the wren clinging to the curtains behind our couch. With a pair of gloves, a bath towel, and quite a bit of luck, we managed to get the little fella back outside, unscathed.

Despite this traumatizing event (likely more so for the wren than me), I still love how many birds have made my garden their home. In this issue, you’ll find a plethora of bird-friendly plant suggestions (Native Plants for the Birds and Plants for the Birds in Your Region). Incorporating these gems into your beds and borders is a great way to make your landscape more ecologically sustainable, and it gives you a good reason to buy more plants.

Just remember to open your front door with caution.

—Danielle Sherry, executive editor

From Fine Gardening #201

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D&X Garden Sprinkler

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- The Sprinkler is made of durable ABS Plastic, Base connector: Approx. 1/2" ; Side connector: Approx. 3/4"
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Water Right PSH-100-MG-1PKRS 400 Series, 100-Foot, Olive Green

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- Slim, lightweight design, is made with toxin-free polyurethane and utilizes industrial grade, lead-free fittings
- 3 Pounds
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