| |
| |
|
I look Here For Gardening & Landscaping Information |
|
Garden for Birds #4
I would like to know..................... WHO STOLE SUMMER?????????????/ What did you do with it? And where are you hiding it? It seems as though just last week we were celebrating the beginning of summer. Looking forward to our yards and gardens. Planning vacations. Now, parents are celebrating "BACK TO SCHOOL!" That could mean more time in our yards and enjoying the fruits of our labor, however. Enjoying our backyard guests. We've seen visitors come and go. And all the feathered families we helped raise. Now it's time to think of visitors heading south. Keep your feeders cleaned and filled. Very important is a source of fresh water. Quite often a stranger will stop for a drink and you may be fortunate enough to see your guests. You may want to keep a camera handy. It's getting time to think about fall projects in our yards. It's time to let annuals go to seed and let some perennials go as well. Say................ do you have any grasses in your yard? I'm not referring to the grass you mow, or the stuff "Cheech and Chong" made so popular either. I'm talking about ornamental grasses. Ornamental grasses for your birds. No,I haven't flipped my lid. Grasses are becoming more popular in landscaping, yet have you thought of the possibilities for wildlife? For birds? Grasses come in many varieties from only a couple inches tall to 15 feet and taller. They come with names like "Little Bunny" and "Giganteus" "Flamingo" and " Little Zebra" How about "Karley Rose" or "Karl Forrester" Names are as unique as the grasses are. Grasses can work as a ground cover, erosion control, a wind brake and look good while doing it. Ornamental grass can make up a border, a barrier or become a focal point in your yard. Grasses can also help feed and shelter birds. This time of year, most grasses are flowering or have showy plumes. Many of these plumes produce seeds for birds to munch on. Foliage left up for the winter months provide wind brakes and protection from harsh winter winds Birds may also make a mad dash to flee a predator. Not to mention that the dry foliage and plumes can give depth and motion to an otherwise drab landscape. In spring, birds will be using bits and pieces for their nests. Cut back your grasses 2 to 4 inches from the ground before new growth starts. Most grasses are hardy to zone 5 and many are hardy to zone 4 There are a few hardy to zone 3. Once established, ornamental grass needs little care. Grasses come in about every shade of green there is. You can find shades of blue. Grasses with shades of yellow There are grasses with shades of red. Grasses with horizontal stripes and some with vertical stripes. Some varieties are drought tolerant. Others may prefer moist conditions. Most prefer sunny locations, while a few prefer shade. The fact is, there will be a grass for your location. You can even get annual grasses. There are so many varieties to choose from I can't go through them all. Check with your local garden center or nursery. Have them recommend what is good for your yard. Or, do some homework and see what you may prefer instead. I have 6 varieties of grasses and I'm sure the collection will continue to grow as I find and make room for them. You are sure to be hooked on grasses when you see a bird hanging onto a stalk and dancing in the wind. An added bonus, grasses are deer resistant. Check out the yards around you. Hit the local garden centers and nurseries. I'm sure you can find a grass for your yard. Remember, fall is the best time to plant. Well friend, it is time to get this letter sent out so I best get going. Do have a blessed week and continue to smile. Until next time. Your friend, Ron Ron Patterson has been caring for wild birds since he was 10 years old. He has discovered many things along the way. An avid gardener as well, Ron is a Michigan Certified Nurseryman. With his expertise in birds and gardens, he writes a weekly newsletter called "Backyard Birding Tips"
MORE RESOURCES:
Better Homes and Gardens' presenter Jason Hodges to create Australian Garden ... - North Shore Times
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Backyard Landscaping When most people think of landscaping, they think of a beautifully decorated front yard. But what about the back? There are many reasons why you should consider backyard landscaping, if you have not already. 9-11 Changed Everything for the Garden Tractor Business While traveling the US and occasionally taking the back highways one might have seen an interesting trend. That is the proliferation of the Lawn Garden tractors. Who Sells Flower Bulbs? Flower bulbs offer some of the most distinctive, unusual flowers around. Gladioli, lilies, crocus, lilac, daylilies? all are instantly recognizable. A Teak Table - Accent Your Outdoor Decor With One It's been time consuming, and there have been a lot of hard decisions along the way, but finally you have chosen the perfect outdoor furniture that fits your personality, budget and space. And as you sit on your new favorite chaise lounge, drink balanced precariously on the edge of the flower box to your left, you suddenly realize what your space is lacking: tables. Adirondack Chairs - How to Choose One In Blue Mountain Lake, New York, you will find a unique museum called the Adirondack Museum. According to the experts that run this museum, the Adirondack chair was originally called the Westport chair, named after a small town located nearby Adirondack Mountains. A Rose is a Rose? There are many varied definitions of what each color of rose symbolizes. Florists and floral experts alike will agree that flowers hold the meaning we give them and the feeling with which they are given. Parsley: A Cooks Best Friend A cook's best friend, Petroselinum crispum, commonly known as curly parsley, is used in myriad ways in the kitchen. Often discarded by diners as 'just a garnish,' parsley has many valuable nutrients including bet-carotene, calcium, iron, and Vitamins A and C in easily assimilated form. Brighten Your Path By Installing Decorative Landscape Lighting Landscape lighting can add a beautiful quality to any home. There are many choices available to someone who is considering it. Hydroponics Gardening - An Introduction To Hydroponics Gardening For Beginners The Basics of Hydroponics Gardening.What is hydroponics gardening?Derived from the Latin Hydro, meaning water and Geoponics, meaning the study of agriculture, hydroponics is the science of growing plants using a solution of suitable nutrients instead of soil. Orchids Are One Of Natures Most Beautiful Flowers Orchids are beautiful flowers. The interesting thing about orchids is that they seem to draw people to them. Grow Organic Vegetables There are more reasons than ever why anybody with access to a few square feet of the outdoors should grow their own organic vegetables.You may be shocked at how much of the produce at your local supermarket has been genetically modified. Fall Pond Cleaning Doing a full pond cleaning during the colder winter months can bevery stressful on your fish. However, if the pond is reallydirty and full of 'muck' - then you may want to consider itbecause all of the decaying organic matter in the pond can causeproblems if the pond ices over, and this begins to de-gas androt. Composting and Composters: A Basic Introduction Why Compost?Recent studies show that an average family throws away approximately 200 pounds of organic kitchen waste every year. Combine this with all the leaves, grass clippings and other organic garden waste accumulated over time and that's a lot of household waste being added to the already mountainous waste disposal problem. Bare Root Roses, What To Look For When Buying The first thing to look for is the plant's grade.Nearly all bare root roses sold today are grown in the field and are approximetly two years old. Create and Furnish Your Outdoor Room More and more people are enjoying their time spent outdoors by creating outdoor rooms. Whether your plans for outdoor living involve a grand plan or a more modest one, the many choices available are sure to allow you to furnish your outdoor room just the way you want it. Oregano: Joy of the Mountain Known as "joy of the mountain," Origanum vulgare is commonly called culinary oregano or Turkish oregano. Oregano is a close relative of marjoram and is also known as pot marjoram. Mint: The Herb of Hospitality The Mentha species or mints as they are commonly called include many varieties that flavour everything from appetizers to desserts. The best-known species in North American are peppermint (M. Slugging It Out In The Trenches In an effort to introduce a shaft of sunlight into a particularly gloomy conversation, I recently asked a gardening acquaintance of mine to explain the difference between a slug and a snail.For the next twelve minutes and seven seconds, this horticultural monomaniac held forth on the most minute and inconsequential differences between gastropod molluscs with rudimentary or no shells and gastropod molluscs with well developed spiral or whorled shells. Garden Makeover On A Budget There's been a huge increase in the popularity of garden makeovers. Teams of people come in and transform your garden in less than a day. History of the Adirondack Chair If you were to travel to Blue Mountain Lake, New York, you would come across a very unique museum called the Adirondack Museum. According to experts that run this museum, the Adirondack chair originally went by a different name - Westport chair, which was after a small nearby town nestled in the Adirondack Mountains.
|
| home | site map LINKS | Visit Internet Clipart for great graphics |
| © 2011 |
