A hummingbird feeder provides nectar for bees, honeybees, wasps, hornets and on occasion, even some ants. The garden pollinators are welcomed, as most of the precious hummers have already left for Mexico or Central America for the winter. The majority of bees and wasps will hibernate during the winter. Honeybees, however, don’t go dormant and … Continue reading Nectar For Our Other Friends
Category Archives: Observations
Shiso – A Summer Garden Standout
As the summer season winds down, we see that our gardens are full of plants that have self-seeded like never before. However, not all are bad, and one standout is the Shiso (Perilla frutescens). An annual Japanese herb from the mint family, ours are red/purple/green in color. They add lots of interest to the garden … Continue reading Shiso – A Summer Garden Standout
Colorful Daylilies in the July Garden
The weather has been really hot and muggy recently – almost too hot to work outside in the garden. However, the weeds are really flourishing, especially the goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria), and it has taken over in some areas. There’s so much to be done, and I’m reminded every time that I look at our garden … Continue reading Colorful Daylilies in the July Garden
June is National Rose Month
National Rose Month was first observed in 1959 when efforts were made to pass a bill to designate the rose as the national flower. However, the rose wasn’t made the national flower until 1986 when President Ronald Reagan made it official. National Rose Month recognizes that June has long been considered the ideal month for … Continue reading June is National Rose Month
A Cool Season For Sure!
Amazingly, unexpected “frost-and-freeze” weather warnings seem to have recently become the major topic of discussion among our local gardeners. Many have covered their emerging plants with plastic or fabric row covers, or brought their seed-starting containers indoors or into their garages, porches or even greenhouses. We are reminded that in 1977, “snow continued to fall … Continue reading A Cool Season For Sure!