A safe place

While I’m trying to prioritize native plants, I still enjoy lots of the nonnatives I chose over the years. My climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris) is one of those imports. Garden designer Betsy Brown recommended this Asian plant back in the 1990s, and it hasn’t disappointed.

Climbing hydrangea flowering in June

After a slow start, it now covers itself every June with romantic clouds of white “lacecap” flowers, which I prefer to the “mophead” puffball blooms of some hydrangea shrubs. It clings to the bark of a towering oak next to the corner of the garage with sticktight adhesive pads, no supports needed. 

 

The vine attaches to the oak's bark

 
Every time I sit at the kitchen table or stand at the sink, I can check out what’s going on with this vine. And there’s a lot happening.

    This winter I particularly notice what great shelter this vine provides for birds. Chickadees in particular seem to find it a great perch, and flocks of dark-eyed juncos frequent it too. 

Black-capped chickadees perch in the shelter of lateral twigs

They benefit from the vine’s growth habit. It sends out horizontal shoots from the main stems that hold leaves and flowers during the growing season. There are so many of these side shoots that they create a protected area along the trunk where birds seem to feel safe. Squirrels find the combination of the tree and the vine a very reassuring place. 

Squirrels take advantage of the vine's shelter

A British blogger observes pollinators including bees and hoverflies on a climbing hydrangea he grows in an aluminum trash bin on his balcony, so insects benefit too.

    With the leaves down, the vine’s main protection for creatures that are active in winter comes from the nimbus of twigs. In summer, as you can imagine, it’s a much better hiding place. The hydrangea's shiny bright green heart-shaped leaves afford privacy for squirrels as they dash up and down the trunk on their way to a Norway spruce that hangs over the garage. 

Lattice and vine together provide safety

A major section of the vine has attached to the lattice on the garage wall that I put up to support clematis vines. At the top of the lattice panels, birds have enough space to perch and socialize. A cardinal couple built their nest nearby in the heart of an evergreen shrub.

    A few weeks ago during a warm spell, I found the grisly remains of a squirrel, just the head and tail. Hawks have joined the backyard ecosystem. That must be why the climbing hydrangea is such as welcome sheltering perch for smaller birds.

Cooper's hawks prey on backyard birds and squirrels

    This spring I plan to create another bird shelter in the yard, a brush pile. In an open garden, this could look too messy, but fortunately I have space among evergreen trees where I can pile up fallen branches loosely without creating an eyesore. This will be an extra place where birds can hide out when it’s cold or predators are around. I can place it near a bird feeder and a water source to make it attractive. It won’t provide the great show I get from that hydrangea vine, though.

Native honeysuckle offers wildlife benefits too