Attract Hummingbirds to Your Garden

The last day of April, finally marks the perfect time for us northerners to get those hummingbird feeders dusted off, cleaned out and ready for the graceful birds to sip their favorite sweet drink from. For the rest of you, well, I hope your feeders are already hanging out and attracting our feathered friends! 

Whatever suits your style, or budget, there is a hummingbird feeder available for your garden.

Styles vary from the simple plastic models to handcrafted blown glass. Check out this link for a wide variety to choose from.

The hummingbird feeding liquid, that is used in hummingbird feeders to attract hummingbirds, is a simple sugar and water solution. It is made up of a ratio of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. This ratio will produce a hummingbird feeding liquid that will closely resemble the nectar found in flowers. Premade hummingbird mixtures are also available at most stores and online. For more info about keeping feeders clean and detailed info on hummingbirds visit this link.


If your garden is planted to attract hummingbirds, your already one step ahead of the game. If not, why not add some plants this spring? I've listed a few of the most popular plants that attract the delicate birds, but this link gives a more indepth look at northern hummingbird gardening.

Plants and bushes to attract and feed hummingbirds include:

Trees and Shrubs

• Azalea
• Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)
• Lantana
• Weigela

Vines

• Coral Honeysuckle
• Cypress Vine
• Morning Glory
• Trumpet Creeper

Flowers

Some may be annuals or perennials depending on zone.

Perennials

• Bee Balm (Monarda)
• Canna
• Cardinal Flower
• Columbine
• Coral Bells
• Four O'Clocks
• Foxglove
• Hosta
• Lupine
• Penstemon
• Yucca

Annuals

• Beard Tongue (and other penstemons)
• Fuchsia
• Impatiens
• Petunia
• Various Salvia species

So as your out and about looking for those special plants and objects for your garden, don't forget your feathered friends. Keep in mind as summer heat approaches, it's not just attracting and feeding the birds, its also about hydrating them. Look for water features like, bird baths, fountains and small ponds. 

Don't Overlook Foliage! It's a Show All it's Own!

You hear it a hundred times throughout the season,  I just want color! And color is a wonderful thing! The bright reds, pinks and yellows... and ohh, let's not forget the whites, purples and oranges!

But what many people forget is that most perennials don't flower consistently all season. Many just can't do without it, color that is, so as soon as annuals can be planted-  they are out and planting. But my advice is, don't over look the color, textures, and lines of the various type of foliage that is around your yard and garden all season long! Instead embrace it as the many colors and contrast that it provides.

In fact the dictionary gives this definition of Foliage: a representation of leaves, flowers, and branches for architectural ornamentation. Yes, I would agree! As one who also love architecture, foliage offers it's own architecture to the landscape.

One prime example, is the hosta. It's blooms are short in contrast to the various shades and types of leafs they offer. From blue-greens, lime, variegated with white and dark green leaves- the foliage show never  stops.
I love looking out, especially in late April and May and seeing the wind move my Dappled Willow Bushes. Their foliage changes from green to variegated with pinks and whites as the seasons change.

Delphinium, center 

Other favorites include:

• The Delphinium. (intricate)
• Lambs Ears (so soft and fuzzy)
• Lamium
• Cora Bells (varieties include purples and greens/pinks)
• Lavender  (and it smells great even without blooms!)
• Weeping Willow Tree (amazing to see move)
• Evergreens (a staple we can count on year-round for color!)
• Ninebark Bush (Dark burgandy leaves)

Lamium

Georgia Peach Cora Bells

Japanese Blood grass mass planting

And then there are the grasses:
(They sway and move for us all summer, fall and even during the winter season!)

• Pampus 
• Karl Forester 
• Japanese Blood 
• And so many more!  

So while your waiting for your favorite flower to bloom why not take a closer look at it's foliage? It has way more to offer than you realize. Don't miss it!

Experience the Benefits of Mulch

No way around it, mulch is great way to improve the look and feel of your landscape and garden. It provides moisture holding properties and keeps weeds down by preventing light to cultivate seeds. Ascetically, it offers color and texture to every space.

Still landscapes styles vary, as does the mulch types we choose to use. Some prefer more of a hardscape using stone or rock around their bushes and plants, while others prefer the softer, warmer look of wood mulch. Both have their benefits and drawbacks.

From my experience, and I have both, stone and mulch, here is what I've learned ...

Stone or rock:

Pros: 

• Gives a finished cleaner look
• Adding a fabric barrier provides a good barrier against weeds
• Water flows through it, so the plants still benefit. 
• Once you install it you do not have to replenish it.
• It can be costly depending on type and style.

Cons:

• Once you install it, you are need to be happy with it. As it is a lot of work to remove.
• Using plants that spread is a not recommended, unless it's a "rock garden." 
• If your in a hot climate or with southern exposure, plants can get "burned" with the heat absorbed by the rock.

Wood mulch:

Pros:

• Provides a natural environment for growing plants.
• Breaks down naturally, adding nutrients to the soil. 
• Holds moisture for long periods of time. 
• Insulates around plants on cool nights and frosty mornings.
• Large variety of types and colors. 

Cons:

• It breaks down and needs to be replenished every couple of years. 
• First base of 3 inches can be costly. 
• Some colored mulch is toxic to pets, ie: chocolate, reds, etc. 
• If you add a fabric barrier, it adds protection against weeds -  but prevents the break down of nutrients into the soil. So a win/loose deal. 

For paths:
Mulch is a great resource for paths and garden entry ways, too. We created a small path through a mulched area using fabric, pea stone and rock. For the most part the path is easy to walk on and weed free. Other path ideas include stepping stones, concrete, tiles, wood mulch and crushed concrete. Again, it's a personal and style choice.

Preparing beds for stone or rock:
Begin with landscape edging (which also varies in type and style), and fabric once you have the area cleared. Some people prefer to plant their plants first, but cutting the fabric around them can be tricky- still this is the best route in existing beds. For new beds, installing edging and fabric up to it, then cutting places for plants is the easiest way to get started.

Preparing beds for wood mulch:

I like to use a weed preventative such as Preen in my wood mulched garden beds. Preen is a pre-emergent, meaning once you have removed existing weeds, the product will keep new weed seeds from emerging. No  magic here, to make the weeds go away you will still need to pull them. (Of course, you could kill everything with Round-up weed killer.) Preen is a chemical-based product so read the label. It can be harmful to certain pets. Preen is not cheap either, costing from $13 to $25 a container. I like to put Preen down and work it into the existing mulch, then cover with a fresh layer of mulch. For more information about Preen visit their website. Cypress is my mulch of choice. It is shredded enough so that my dogs don't think the wood chunks are play toys. 

An organic weed preventative (pre-emergent), corn gluton meal is also available and an option. I have not tried this myself, but  have been reading about it. Here a link for more information on it. And if your into the organic aspect, check out this Winchester Gardens website for an abundance of  organic fertilizing products.

Happy Mulching!