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I have a sizable brush pile in my yard, 5m x 5m (16ft x 16ft), height 2m (6.5ft). Even a colony of sparrows lives in it. I toy with the idea of planting a Lonicera caprifolium (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonicera_caprifolium) just beside the pile, and hopefully, in several years, having a small hill of flowers and beautiful fragrance in summer nights.

It this doable? Would sparrows stay? Are there other hidden downsides?

EDIT: I now realized that Lonicera caprifolium is not fully evergreen in my climate, perhaps I should opt for evergreen Lonicera henryi, to protect birds during winter.

You can see my brush pile here, behind two weeping mulberries and a pile of logs:

enter image description here

I live in zone 8a in Europe.

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  • L. henryi has no fragrance...
    – Bamboo
    Commented Oct 30, 2017 at 20:31
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    Hi VividD! Can you please add where you live, and the temperature range? Pictures of the area would be great too, even though you don't have your flowers yet. I agree with @stormy about your compassion for the birds. They need protection, and people who provide it are special! As you add more plants, they'll bring their friends, which in turn helps the plants. Hummingbirds and butterflies like honeysuckle too, because of the shape of the flowers and the nectar inside.
    – Sue Saddest Farewell TGO GL
    Commented Oct 30, 2017 at 22:38
  • @sue, I updated the question, thanks for other comments!
    – VividD
    Commented Oct 31, 2017 at 11:11

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Do both plants! I simply adore this idea! I'd also cover the pile before planting the vines with a chunk of wire fencing that has holes big enough only for the sparrows and finch that would keep out bigger birds like owls, ravens, crows and cats and dogs. I think chicken wire would work well and it is very inexpensive and very flexible. Prop and dome slightly using some branches with one end in the ground and a y at the top. Use big stake staples to hold the edges down tight all around the periphery of the pile. Then allow your vines to grow. One that will stay evergreen and one that will add leaf debris to the pile for warmth. The wire will keep out unwanted predators if the leaves get thinned during winter. Thanks for being a cool, empathetic human!

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    Astonishing ideas!!
    – VividD
    Commented Oct 30, 2017 at 21:24
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    Glad to help. I think in feet not meters. That brush pile is large! Another vine that would be sure to cover that pile for the summer is HOPS. Golden hops is gorgeous. This might be fun to combine with the evergreen as well. Hops dies all the way to the ground and is easy to clean up after the winter and before spring gets going. This helps with sanitation a bit. Hops grows with a vengeance, the leaves are 6" across on average, no fragrance, but has gorgeous hops flowers. Web spiders love this vine, birds love web spiders and their catches. Hops will cover that huge area the first year!
    – stormy
    Commented Oct 30, 2017 at 22:02

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