Goodbye Traditional Bird Baths: There's An Amazon Find That Also Helps Vining Plants Grow

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If you've ever put a bird bath or feeder out, only to be snubbed by the birds, you're not alone. Whether it's a too-sunny location or not enough protection from predators, birds skip poorly designed setups for good reasons. To encourage birds to use the new bird house or feeder in your yard, you have to pay attention to what they like and need, and that's not the same for every bird on the block. You'll get the attention of pollinators, hummingbirds, and small songbirds when you say goodbye to traditional bird baths and consider this 57-inch YYWMWM Metal Bird Bath with Trellis from Amazon instead.

One of the reasons birds could be ignoring the traditional concrete bird bath sitting in your front yard is because it doesn't provide any cover. This metal bird bath has a small bowl for water and a vertical support for climbing flowers, so when you pair it with an annual plant that's perfect for growing on a trellis, such as scarlet runner beans or morning glories, you provide more than just an instant perch and a place to retreat. Birds, bees, butterflies, and dragonflies will all be attracted to both the water and the flowers.

With the YYWMWM Metal Bird Bath with Trellis, you can choose from four different motifs, including hummingbird, dragonfly, butterfly, and red bird designs. For $29.99, this isn't a plant structure suitable for vigorous perennial climbers like honeysuckles, wisteria, climbing hydrangeas, and trumpet vines. Instead, you're better off using it as a trellis for annual vines. Anything from edimental (edible and ornamental) scarlet runner beans, pole beans, cucumbers, and tall peas to purely ornamental morning glories and sweet peas will grow quickly and attract pollinators. 

For many pollinators, the small, shallow bowl is actually better than a large basin, but if you put it out in the direct sun, you'll end up with hot water but no birds. Orienting this bird bath so that the vine you plant shades the water feature helps you avoid this potential problem altogether. By summer, when the days are hottest, the annual vines will be tall enough to provide shade and flowers for birds and pollinators. Because you could be attracting thirsty birds and insects, you can even add a few pebbles or flat stones to make the water more accessible. If you use this as a seasonal bird bath and trellis combination by growing annual vines and storing it away during the winter, you can avoid issues with rust and durability.