QUESTION -I am currently living in a town house complex and have a family of Superb Wrens living around the complex.

 The care taker of the complex as removed a lot of weeds from the complex gardens allowing room to plant.

 I would like to plant some shrubs to accommodate for Wrens.

I was wondering if you could tell me what kind of shrubs I could plant that would be best for the wrens.

ANSWER - Whilst this is not technically a vet question it is certainly a topic close to my interests being both a wren breeder and an avid native gardener. The major thing to determine what plant species to choose is how much space is available. I will answer on the basis that I always like to see multiple small plants rather then a single large one so all of the species I will describe will be in the 1m x 1m to 1.5m x 1.5 m range. Locality will also determine plant selection. Where I live in SEQld many plant species are intolerant of our humidity or of the fungal pathogens in our soil so this will determine plant suitability. In our area, if a plant is unsuitable we graft it onto suitable rootstock and force it to like our climate. Many nurseries will sell grafted species and these may often be superior choices over “off the shelf” species. My selection will also be based on what I have seen wrens using in my gardens. Wrens use plants for two major reasons – shelter and feeding. A “wren” friendly plant that provides both is even better. I follow the basic rules of :-

1. Big flowers attract larger birds. This discourages small birds to some degree
2. Fine foliage will limit the size of birds that can penetrate it.
3. Prickly foliage is great for birds but sooner or later somebody has to prune it.
4. Lots of flowers equals lots of insects.
5. Birds need to feed all year round so long flowering species are preferred

My choice is therefore going to be plants with lots of flowers, preferably small, flowering for many months (and particularly during the winter months when food is scarce) with fine but not so prickly foliage. Oh, and it has to look good too. The plants I will list are only those I grow in my own garden (if it is not on my list then I have probably avoided it for one reason or another).

So here we go. Check with your local nursery personal to see which ones are suitable for your area.

Grevilleas – baueri, “Austraflora Bon Accord”, speciosa, sericea, “Collaroy Plateau”, endlicheriana, “Molongolo”, “Allyn Radiance”, humifusa, humilis, thelmanniana, “Scarlet Sprite”, “Canberra Gem”, aspera, florida, umbellulata, leptopoda, lanigera, “Honeyeater Heaven”, “Shirley Howie”, intricata, “Evelyns Coronet”, juniperina, “Robyn Gordon”, “Superb”, rosmarinifolia, “Splendour”, “Peaches and Cream”, “Magic Lantern”.

Callistemon “Rocky Rambler”

Correa “Dusky Bells”

Darwinia citriodora

Eremophila “Yanna Road”

Eremophila maculata

Ricinocarpus pinifolis

Hakea gibbosa

Leptospermum “Pink Cascade”

Melalaeuca thymifolia

Pultanea villosa

Cryptandra scortechinii

Westringia “Jervis Gem”

Westringia “Smokey”

I hope this helps.