Bird Bath and Brunch

Instead of trying to explain to your kids that calling out “here, birdy, birdy, birdy” doesn’t work, why not just show them what will work? In the leaner, winter months, nothing says “come to my garden” quite like providing food and water for our feathered friends.

Here are two very easy DIY projects for the kids: one for bathing and one for feeding. Of course, if you’re not into DIY, your local accredited garden center has loads of ready-made items you could pick up.

For all those who like to get their hands busy, especially the kid’s hands, let’s start with a quick bird bath.

What you’ll need:

•  1 x 36cm coloured plastic pot
• 1 x 30cm coloured plastic pot
• 1 x 25cm coloured plastic pot
• 1 x 40cm saucer, as deep as possible
• Glue suitable for plastic
• 2 x sizeable rocks from the garden

Step 1

Stack the coloured pots upside down, from biggest to smallest, popping in a rock for added weight and the using some glue to keep them together.

Step 3

Glue the saucer to the bottom of the top pot.

Step 5

Find a nice place in the garden for your bird bath, preferably somewhere unobscured where you’ll be able to see them bathing. Fill the saucer with water and wait for your feathered friends to discover their new gift!

And now time for some brunch!

What you’ll need:

•  Old coke bottle (washed and dried)
• Wild bird seed
• Two wooden spoons
• Scissors
• String
• Funnel

Step 1

Carefully cut two “x marks the spot” shapes in your coke bottle, opposite each other, about 10-15cm from the bottom of the bottle. They should be just tall enough for your wooden spoon handle to slide in. Do the same another 10-15 cm higher up, but on the other quarters of the bottle so that when you slide both spoons in, they sit perpendicular to each other and form a cross when viewed from above.

Step 2

On the side with spoon, cut the top two flaps of the “x marks the spot” shape so that a small hole forms where your bird seed can run out. Repeat with the spoon above.

Step 3

Pour your wild bird seed into your coke bottle using the funnel. Tighten the lid properly, tie some string around it to form a loop and then hang it in a tree and wait for the birds to notice.

For more information on bringing Life to your Garden, visit our website www.lifeisagarden.co.za or join the conversation on our facebook page: www.facebook.com/lifeisagardensa.