I have an awesome bird feeder pole that holds multiple feeders (and is thus far impermeable to squirrels). The feeders are visible from my couch in my sitting room. I can sit and watch all the birds come and go and even photograph some of them from this vantage point. I do my best to create good habitat for wildlife including birds in my garden. I leave the seed heads on in fall and winter, provide decent cover, and supplement with bird seed … [Read more...]
Top 5 benefits of gardening with native plants
Native plants are adapted to the soil, temperature, rainfall, and fauna in the area in which they grow. As a result, they provide some benefits to the gardener and local wildlife that non-native plants bought from your local garden store may not. I like the look of native plants in my garden. I tend to mix them in with exotic plants and I end up with a pleasing hodgepodge of plants in my garden. Some native plants may look a little to “weedy” … [Read more...]
Echinacea species – Flowering plants for bees, butterflies, and birds
Butterflies and bees just love coneflowers in the genus Echinacea. You are probably familiar with purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), but there are many cultivars now available in a variety of colors: red, pink, white, orange, yellow, cream, green, and gold. There are even Echinacea flowers with double blooms. Echinacea is native to the central and eastern United States and can be found growing in prairies, fields, and even in open woods. … [Read more...]
Winter Garden Project: Count Birds at Your Feeder This Winter to Help Track Bird Populations
Want something fun to do while your garden is sleeping this winter? How about signing up for Project Feeder Watch? If you live in North America, you can participate in collecting data that helps scientists determine changes in bird distribution and abundance. This is a great way to teach your kids about scientific data collection and bird identification. You just need some bird feeders, seed, and to sign up. Project FeederWatch Project Feeder … [Read more...]
Backyard Wildlife: The Critters in My Garden
For me, half of the fun of having a garden is watching the critters that come to enjoy it. Here are some of the critters that have shown up in my garden (and my family's garden) in the last couple of years. Learn more about backyard habitat by reading these articles Food plants for caterpillars and butterflies How to Create Good Wildlife Habitat in Your Backyard Plants that provide food and shelter in fall and winter for wildlife … [Read more...]
How to Create Good Wildlife Habitat in Your Backyard
If your garden includes sources of food throughout the year, water, a variety of structure (height and shape) that can be used for cover, and plenty of places for animals to create nests in to reproduce, it’s likely that you already have lots of wildlife in your yard. Wildlife requires 4 things to thrive Food Water Cover Places to reproduce Food Native plants are a great source of food for wildlife. You’ll need a mixture … [Read more...]
Plants that provide food and shelter in fall and winter for wildlife
If you’d like to see more wildlife in your garden in winter, be sure to include plants that provide food and cover in the fall and winter. Some of these plants are evergreen, providing necessary cover, and some have fruits, seeds, or nuts that persist into winter. Here are some (mostly native) plant suggestions that can be used in Zone 7b and throughout much of the southeast. Trees Apples (Malus spp.) American beech (Fagus … [Read more...]
Butterfly Bush – Buddleia spp. (Buddleja)
If you're looking for a shrub that will attract hummingbirds and butterflies and also produce very sweet-smelling, attractive flowers, look no further. Butterfly bush really lives up to its name. When it is blooming, I see butterflies on it frequently. Hummingbirds seem to enjoy the nectar as well. Where to Plant a Butterfly Bush Butterfly bushes are hardy in zones 5-10 and need full sun. Once established, they don't require much water (as the … [Read more...]
Turk’s Cap – Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
Turk’s cap is a perennial, deciduous, shrub-like plant native to the Southeastern United States. It produces small (2-3 inch) red flowers that resemble a closed-up hibiscus. In the Malvaceae family, it is also commonly known as wax mallow, Texas mallow, manzanilla, and sleeping hibiscus, among other common names. This plant flowers in the summer and fall (from May to November) and the flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and other … [Read more...]
Giant Coneflower – Rudbeckia maxima
Rudbeckia maxima, otherwise known as the giant coneflower, is in the Asteracea family. The flower resembles a brown-eyed susan, but the petals of the flower hang down and the center is much taller. This plant can grow up to 7 feet tall. Planted in a large group, it makes a nice visual impact. These showy flowers are great for drier spots in your garden. Despite being found in moist soils in its native habitat, it is drought tolerant. I have … [Read more...]
