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An Ideal Home gardening report identifies five plants to put in the ground in October that can provide food or shelter for birds in winter: holly, rowan, hawthorn, crab apple and ivy. The plants may support robins, finches, redwings and blackbirds, but the report does not claim they will attract every species to every garden.
Holly, rowan, hawthorn, crab apple and ivy are five plants gardeners can put in the ground in October to offer birds food or shelter during winter, according to an Ideal Home report drawing on wildlife and garden experts. The advice is aimed at supporting species including robins, finches, redwings and blackbirds when food and cover can be harder to find.
The five plants support birds in different ways. Holly and ivy provide dense foliage that can serve as cover, while their berries offer food. Rowan and crab apple produce fruits that can remain available into the colder months. Hawthorn is highlighted primarily for its dense, thorny growth, which can give birds a sheltered place to rest.
Amber Tunney, a plant buyer at Cherry Lane Garden Centres, says holly’s evergreen foliage gives birds a protected place to roost and its berries provide a winter food source. She names thrushes, robins and pigeons among the birds that may use it. For ivy, Tunney points to both the cover its dense growth provides and the later-ripening berries of mature plants.
The designers of Lifted By Birds Garden—Thomas Cave Saunders, Amie Wheeldon and Jon Pilling—say rowan’s berries feed fieldfares, redwings and blackbirds through early winter. They also describe crab apples as small fruits that can persist into winter, providing food for thrushes and winter migrant birds. These are expert descriptions of potential benefits, not a guarantee that planting a particular species will bring specific birds to an individual garden.
How These Plants Support Winter Birds
The recommendations focus on two needs: food and shelter. Fruit and berries can add natural food sources as the season advances, while evergreen or dense growth can provide places for birds to hide and rest. A garden with a mix of plants may offer more than one kind of resource rather than relying only on feeders.
The advice may be useful to gardeners who want to make changes in autumn rather than wait until spring. The report presents October as a time when planting these choices is still possible, though the source does not give a planting calendar by region or set out conditions for every garden. The likely benefit depends on factors such as plant maturity and whether fruit is available; the report does not quantify how much food or shelter each plant provides.
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The Five Plants in the Report
Holly combines evergreen cover with berries. Rowan is recommended for its clusters of berries, which the garden designers say can feed birds in early winter; its autumn colour is an additional garden feature. The report also presents hawthorn as a wildlife-friendly hedging choice, citing its thick, thorny growth as cover.
Crab apple is described as a UK-native fruit tree whose small fruits may last into winter, while ivy offers dense cover and, when mature, berries that ripen later than many other fruits. The source does not rank the plants or say that all five are suitable for every space. Its examples span trees, hedging and a climbing plant, so the choice will depend on a garden’s size and existing planting.
“Holly is a great choice for a bird-friendly garden, offering both food and shelter.”
— Amber Tunney, plant buyer at Cherry Lane Garden Centres, as quoted by Ideal Home
What the Planting Advice Cannot Promise
The source offers expert guidance, not a controlled study or a guarantee of results. It does not report how many birds might visit after planting, compare the five plants’ effects, or specify how much fruit or cover an individual plant will provide. The named species are examples of birds that may benefit, not a complete list or a promise that they will appear in every garden.
The report also gives no detailed instructions on planting depth, soil, spacing, mature size or local climate. Gardeners should check that a plant suits their site and follow the supplier’s planting guidance. It is not clear from the supplied material whether the recommendations have been updated since publication; no publication date is provided.
Choosing Plants for Your Garden
Readers considering the recommendations can choose according to the space available and the type of resource they want to add: fruiting trees such as rowan or crab apple, a hedging plant such as hawthorn, or cover from holly or ivy. Before buying, check the plant’s expected mature size and suitability for local conditions, and use the nursery’s guidance for planting and care.
The report sets out no follow-up study or scheduled next development. Its practical next step is seasonal: gardeners can assess their planting before winter and decide whether one or more of the five options fits their garden. Any effect on bird visits will depend on the garden and cannot be determined from the recommendations alone.
Key Questions
Which five plants does the report recommend planting in October?
Holly, rowan, hawthorn, crab apple and ivy are the five plants listed by Ideal Home.
Which plants are described as providing winter food?
The report identifies berries on holly, rowan and mature ivy, and fruits on crab apple, as potential food sources. The amount available will vary by plant and garden.
How might hawthorn help birds?
Cherry Lane Garden Centres plant buyer Amber Tunney says hawthorn’s dense, thorny growth can provide sheltered places for birds to rest and take cover.
Will planting these species guarantee birds visit my garden?
No. The report describes potential food and shelter benefits but does not promise that particular birds will visit a specific garden. Results depend on local conditions and the plants themselves.
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