This handcrafted and custom-designed gourd birdhouse was created to bring style and beauty to your garden. Grown (by me!) from seed using organic methods in my Virginia garden, this bottle gourd was grown and then dried for a full year before being transformed into this beautiful and functional birdhouse. Uniquely designed wood burned patterns decorate and accentuate the 1 1/2″ hole – a perfect size for attracting bluebirds and other birds! The gourd is colored, dyed and finished with multiple coats of marine varnish to help keep it as weather-tight as possible. Finally, the gourd is wrapped with heavy-duty, galvanized steel wire and decorated.
The inside of the gourd remains in its natural state — no colors, dyes or varnishes are used on the inside of the gourd to make it as attractive to and safe for the birds as possible. There are also 3-5 drainage holes on the bottom of the birdhouse to help to keep the gourd and the birds as dry as possible.
Gourds make fantastic birdhouses … wild birds really love them! Each of my gourd birdhouses is custom-made and unique with its own combination of size, shape, design, color, and embellishments. While my gourd birdhouses are tough, keep in mind that they are organic, porous materials and may naturally deteriorate over time. With a little special care, though, your gourd birdhouse can last and continue to attract nesting birds for many, many years to come.
*Avoid hanging gourd birdhouses in direct sunlight (this will help to keep it from overheating and will also help to keep the colors from fading).
*Hang gourd birdhouses outside only during the nesting season. Store in a protected shed, garage, or inside in the winter and minimize exposure to rain, snow, ice, and freezing temperatures.
*Every year or so, add a fresh coat of marine quality polyurethane to the outside of the gourd to continue to keep it protected from the elements (do not paint, varnish, or finish the insides).
