Some might call it genius. Andy and Margaret Covell turned common birding knowledge into a cash-cow business that married gardening and birding supplies.

The result is known to many New England residents as The Bird House Garden Center, a one-stop shop for people who want to attract a symphony of their feathered friends with bird-loving shrubs, trees and flowers.

"The relationship between birds and plants is codependent," Andy Covell said. "Research told us that there was a market for a store like this. It looks like we were right."

The Beginning

The Covells live in Boxborough, a tiny town of about 5,000 residents in northeast Massachusetts known for its lush vegetation and historical buildings.

About five years ago, the couple decided to open a business. Naturally, they wanted to incorporate their mutual love of birds.

Avid bird watchers – who make it a point to stop and look for birds anytime they are on vacation – the couple had already decked out their backyard with bird-friendly plants. They are also members of the Massachusetts Audubon Society, American Birding Association and the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.

With his knowledge of the relationship between birds and plants, Andy Covell began to research whether any stores existed that combined plants and birding supplies. He couldn’t find a thing.

Every bird aficionado knows that a simple birdfeeder in your backyard is no match for having the right trees and shrubs, but rarely do you find a store that can cater to the niche.

“The research we did indicated there was a huge overlap between customer bases,” he said.The couple scouted locations for such a store – a virtually mythical combination of supplies for dirt diggers and feeder fillers. Luckily, a garden center, with a well-established customer base, was for sale.

With a great location and no competition, business took off. The Covells say they have turned a profit every year.

The Business

The Covells essentially own two businesses – gardening and birding – under one roof. The birding supplies such as birdfeeders and seed are housed inside the 500-square-foot store. But behind the structure is a sprawling two-acre retail display of plants, trees, shrubs and patio furniture.The store recently started carrying organic gardening supplies. The stock includes:

• Ornamental, shade and fruit trees of over 50 varieties.
• Shrubs of over 230 varieties
• Perennials of over 500 varieties
• Annuals of over 300 varieties
• Vines of over 20 varieties
• Groundcovers of over 50 varieties
• Roses of over 25 varieties
• Ornamental Grasses of over 20 varieties
• Vegetables, herbs and fruits of over 60 varieties.

Plants native to the Boston area are in great demand because birds in the region are attracted to the plants they are accustomed to. The store also features deer-resistant plants and container garden plants for customers who don’t have the time, energy or space for a giant garden.

The nursery side of the business has a lot more challenges than the birding side, Covell said. Plant sales are very weather-dependent and seasonal with the vast majority of sales in April May and June. “If the weather is bad, it can really hurt business,” Covell said. “The birding side is seasonal, too, and picks up more in the fall.

"But we try to educate our customers about the importance of feeding birds all year long because it’s good for them."

As an extra service, the Bird House Garden Center recently also started offering landscape design, installation and maintenance services. Staff will go to a customer’s home, work with them to come up with the right plants to fit their bird-loving needs, plant the foliage and regularly weed the garden.With a peak staff of 10, the store cross-trains employees with birding and plant knowledge.

The Customers

Most customers who visit the Bird House Garden Center live within 25 miles of the store and visit in person. Very seldom do customers order over the phone and have the items shipped.

Most of the gardening customers are women and the birding customers are equally men and women. Recently, Covell has noticed a younger crowed of bird enthusiasts entering his store.

He says it’s easier to convert the bird lovers to the garden side than vice versa, Covell said. Most times, bird lovers are more open to populating their yards with more birds than gardeners are.

"It doesn’t always work as smoothly going from gardener to bird lover," he said. Gardeners don’t always see the correlation.

Squirrel-proof feeders are tough for Covell to keep on the shelves (especially ones that send the squirrel flying).

The most profitable items are birdfeeders, bird baths, trees and shrubs.

The Covells say they have no plans to give up their bird haven anytime soon. They hope to add more items and expand the landscape design business.

" I hink we are learning that we were right about this to a certain degree," Covell said. "People were interested in both gardening and birding and that’s what we had hoped."