I want to plant a bird garden in my back yard(northeast Ohio). What plants/flowers should I plant?

Answer 1

'angel' nailed the hummingbird's food. Just about any flower not dead headed and let go to seed will feed the birds. Some will pick the seed out of the head, others will pick up those that fall to the ground. My favorite plant and so too of many birds are sun flowers allowed to ripen in the garden. I get a chuckle watching them stand on there heads trying to get to the seeds. Nearly all berry producing shrubs and trees are eaten by one bird or another. When the Cedar Wax Wing come through late on there migration they take every berry I have left in a couple days. RScott

Answer 2

Birds like all kinds of flowers.
Zone 5
Cornus florida (Flowering dogwood)
Deutzia gracilis (Slender deutzia)
Rosa multiflora (Japanese rose)
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hrdzon4.html

Cardinals like flying from tall trees to shorter bushes.

Hummingbirds like small cone or trumpet shaped flowers like those found on the honeysuckle.
Plants that Attract Hummingbirds:
Bee Balm
Red Columbine
Delphinium and Hollyhock
Butterfly Bush )
Catawba Rhododendron
Rose of Sharon
Trumpet Vine and Trumpet Honeysuckle
http://landscaping.about.com/cs/forthebirds/a/hummingbirds.htm
Humingbird forum:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/439743/thread/1182699986/last-1183231007/Cardinal+Climber+or+Cypress+Vine+-+Which+one+to+choose-

Shrub plants can be massed in a border to form sheltered areas for your winged creatures. Breaking up a large flat expanse is an important consideration -- not only for landscape design in general, but particularly when trying to attract wildlife.
Good luck! Hope this helps.