Alan Titchmarsh has shared the one plant that gardeners should include in their gardens if they want to attract more birds
Millie Bull Deputy Editor, Spare Time
16:45, 13 Feb 2026Updated 16:45, 13 Feb 2026
One method to entice birds to visit gardens is to “plant things that they will find useful”(Image: WPA Pool, Getty Images)
English gardener, television presenter and author Alan Titchmarsh has revealed the plants that garden enthusiasts should incorporate into their gardens to attract more birds. The former Gardeners’ World host said in a video on his YouTube channel, Gardening with Alan Titchmarsh, that one method to entice birds to visit gardens is to “plant things that they will find useful, particularly in terms of food”.
At this time of year, some of the most beneficial plants to introduce into gardens are those bearing berries, providing ample nourishment for birds. One plant that Alan particularly recommends, which is popular among robins and sparrows, is the “beautyberry”, also known as callicarpa.
He commented, “It looks artificial. It’s purple, which is not a natural colour for berries in the garden. Robins and sparrows love it.
“It makes a tallish shrub. Stick it at the back of a border where it will be background for most of the year, but then come autumn, look what it does, it really draws your eye.”
The Love Your Garden presenter said this plant has purple berries that robins and sparrows adore.(Image: Ludmila Kapustkina via Getty Images)
One plant Alan recommended that’s particularly popular among robins and sparrows is the “beautyberry”(Image: JHVEPhoto via Getty Images)
The gardening guru also spotlighted pyracanthas, often called firethorns, which yield vibrant red, yellow, or orange berries throughout autumn and winter, reports the Express.
He elaborated that these plants make superb hedges and can be effortlessly trained to climb along the sides of buildings or sheds.
Alan also endorsed cotoneasters (frequently called catoni asters) as perfect for smaller birds. Their “bite-sized” berries offer a valuable source of food.
Roses that produce rose hips are another excellent option for drawing birds into your garden. As the vibrant red hips begin to soften, birds are drawn to them – particularly blackbirds, who find them utterly irresistible.
Birds also need shelter at this time of year, not just food(Image: Gary Chalker via Getty Images)
At this time of year, birds need both shelter and nourishment. Gardeners can help by planting prickly shrubs such as barberries or holly, which also yield berries.
The spiky foliage helps ward off predators and offers protection for birds during the winter months, while the berries provide them with food.
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