birmingham – Page 9 – Fine for Friday

Bird Project 15 July 2022

I noticed that my bluebird houses have attracted pairs of Eastern Bluebirds for the second time this year.

I have several houses at home and one at the Mens Garden.

I have followed the recommendations of the Audobon Society in building them in order to keep other birds away. I built them out of red cedar donated by a friend.

https://www.audubon.org/news/how-build-bluebird-nest-box

Bluebirds are almost exclusively insect eaters. They capture insects, crush them and feed them to their young. As you can see from the nest placement, they prefer to nest near a lawn or farmland so that they can capture insects easily.

I also inspected the trees nearby since they are abundant sources of caterpillars for the bluebirds and for other birds.

I know I have hackberry trees host to 6 different butterflies including the hackberry emperor.

I also found a shagbark hickory which is a host plant to many butterflies included the hairstreak.

In my search, I also found this in my side yard. He was perfectly still until I emerged enough to take this picture.

Finally, I hope you enjoy this Casablanca lily which just began blooming this week.

Happy gardening!

Be sure to check out the propagator

Summertime

The song says that the living is easy. It is hot here so its easy if you are indoors. Rain is forecast tomorrow which will break the heat for a while. In the meantime, it is sufficient just to keep the outdoor plants watered. Had to take care of the vole problem today. Applied a newly acquired treatment suggested by the local hardware store.

This pink spiderwort stood out today. I see it is also called Purple Heart. It loves the heat and spreads every summer and self seeds as an added bonus.

The rose campion has started to bloom again. It seems undefeated by the summer heat. Its delicate nature is beautiful. It is also self seeding but it is welcome.

The Rose of Sharon is also enjoying the summer heat. It is an old time favorite and I can see why. The blooms are magnificent. There is also a white bloom with a red throat.

The white caladium “Candide” loves this shady spot. It does get enough morning sun to keep it healthy and looks spiffy in this urn.

This old recycled fountain looks great set back amongst the Limelight hydrangeas and sports some thriving succulents.

The voles are inhabiting most of the lawn at the Mens Garden. The hardware store recommended this remedy. It attacks the Japanese beetle larvae which are the main food source for the voles. In addition, I have applied some repellent that was also recommended. Hope this works. All the runways in the lawn are unsightly.

Meanwhile, be careful in the heat. Seek shade whenever possible and remain hydrated.

Remember the Propagator

Happy Gardening

Bird Project 1 July 2022

This past week, I noticed a pair of goldfinches feeding on the liatris in my perennial bed. The male was that bright gold color. They came out of the thicket along the edge of my property where there are some pine trees and a mulberry.

I have had them come to my bird feeder in the winter but I have not seen them in the summer. It made me think about what I could do to keep them around all year.

My research showed that their diet is mostly seeds unlike the majority of songbirds.

Here are goldfinches on liatris spicata which is also known as gayfeather.

The goldfinches will also feed on the seeds from purple coneflower which grows as a native in our area.

The purple coneflower will last until frost. You can keep the seedheads on through the late fall and into winter for the finches to feed on.

Another summerlong flower that they will feed from is a zinnia. Zinnias here will bloom all summer long.

8FFDEE27-C3D5-4E5C-8BF8-CA64D8146DEF — Gold finch on zinnia

The sunflower is another good food source. Sunflowers can be left standing into the winter and the goldfinches will come to them.

37F816C2-1793-4FC1-9EBA-22C81753ED8A — Goldfinch on sunflower.

The goldfinches will feed on native grasses in the winter in our area. These will contain seeds to support them in the winter.

Thought you might enjoy seeing these limelight hydrangeas in full bloom. The goldfinches do not use birdboxes. This one is for the bluebirds. It was erected in the spring but is not presently occupied.

Switching themes, here is a photo of this colorful canna. I am not sure of the name but I think it is Tropicana

Ending today’s photos with the agastache and a Stoke’s Aster which are both showing beautiful colors in the summer.

It is Independence Day here in the USA on Monday so it is a weekend of celebration and little gardening.

Be sure to check out the propagator

Reds and Oranges 24 June 2022

It is now officially summer and the hot weather is continuing. Highs in the upper 90’s (35 to 38 C) here in the American South.

Adequate hydration and avoiding the mid afternoon sun is the order of the day. I am a morning person so I do not mind getting out early. It helps to finish any outdoor work after 5 pm to avoid the searing overhead sun.

The plants are faring much better than us mortals. Today, I am offering some red and orange hues for you.

The first is this Hibiscus coccineus. This is the scarlet rosemallow also known as the Texas star although it is not found naturally in Texas. The leaves resemble cannabis It is a hardy hibiscus native to the Southeast USA. The large blooms are really striking.

This begonia is the red Dragon Wing. It has been a winner for me in window boxes. It thrives in the heat and prefers to be a little bit dry. This year I propagated all I needed from a plant that I protected over the winter.

This crocosmia is the Lucifer cultivar. It is a hardy plant in the iris family and is very reliable. It does have a tendency to muscle out wards and needs to mind its manners every year.

Dahlias can be a little fickle in the heat but I have found one successful bed that gets less afternoon sun and I have been rewarded with reliable blooming.

This rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is a reliable bloomer. It does have the red throat.

This shot of my backyard shows the progress I have made in this shady area. More on that in future blogs.

We are expecting some rain over the next few days which will lower the temps soon. That will be welcome.

Happy Gardening.

Don’t forget the Propagator who is the inspiration for this blog.

Heat Wave 17 June 2022

Greetings from the sweltering Southeast USA. We have been in a heat advisory for the past few days. It is expected to continue for another week. Highs are in the upper 90’s and heat index is topping 100 every day. My plan is to limit outdoor work to early morning and just before dusk. Plenty of liquids are also in order.

The plants are flourishing regardless. They have an ample supply of water after the heavy rain of a few days ago. I am watering the newest plants from this spring.

I did do some volunteer work in the native plant area of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens so I am including a shot or two from there.

The first shot is this beautiful tall Tiger Lily. The plant identifier is calling it an iris.

This next is a Prairie Coneflower. Ratibida sp. I started these from seed a few years ago. They had a tendency to sag when in bloom but this year they are strong enough to stand tall.

The hybrid daylilies are beautiful. So many vibrant bright colors. This one stood out.

This garden cherub is shaded in the fern garden amongst the Natchez crepe myrtles. The fern is a Southern shield (Thelypteris kunthii). This stately fern is slowly covering the shaded area but it is deciduous and allows the daffodils to come through in the late winter and spring.

The blephilia is blooming again.

Thought you might enjoy this native hydrangea (Hydrangea aborescens)

Another native hydrangeas showing off is this oakleaf with the red tinted flowers of the pannicle. Hydrangea quercifolia.

It is hot this week but these floral displays are grand. Hope you are able to get out and do some gardening. Mine will be limited the next two weeks.

Don’t forget the the propagator

More Summer Blooms 10 June 2022

There was a heavy rain here on Wednesday. I recorded more than 9 inches at my house. That was a little scary since I did have some water enter the house after a heavy rain last spring. Good news!! All my efforts to divert water from entering the house worked. We remained dry.

The days are long and the temperatures are high enough that the summer blooms are magnificent this week. The daisies and black eyed susans are a joy to behold.

The heat of summer is upon us so gardening tasks have to be limited to early morning and late afternoon.

Here are the Shasta Daisies. I think these are the “Becky” cultivar.

The black eyed Susans are the “Indian Summer” cultivar I think. They looked defeated by the end of winter but they are truly gorgeous now.

The purple coneflowers are a very reliable flower in the Mens Garden. They have reseeded in numerous places.

The swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata or rose milkweed has also fully shown up now. It is a winner. It has not attracted many butterflies though. I am hopeful that it will.

The white caladiums in the big planters are filled in. They are so welcoming.

This vitex or chaste tree is now in its third year at the garden. It is a striking bloomer. This variety is one of the temperate zone species of vitex. It does resemble butterfly bush.

This canna which I think is Tropicana is doing well in its new location. It was showing signs of leaf roller damage but it seems to be rid of that now. We will see.

We took a day trip to see the Cahaba lilies near us. They are endemic to our area. They are said to bloom between Mothers Day and Fathers Day. We missed the best days but found a Red-spotted purple butterfly, Pipevine swallowtail caterpillar and a native leatherflower (Clematis).

Those are mine for this week. It has been a wonderful week. I wish you happy gardening and beautiful flowers.

Don’t forget the Propagator

Five for Friday plus One 3 June 2022

As the weather continues to warm and the days lengthen, the garden continues to fill in.

I did some travelling this past week including a visit to a watercolor art show in a nearby town. So, I am including a beautiful photo of a winner from that show.

Hope you enjoy this week’s photos.

These profusion zinnias are in the men’s garden. They are a wonderful splash of yellow and are quickly matching their name.

This grouping of alyssum and snapdragons is also at the men’s garden. The alyssum is a spring planting and the snapdragons are a fall planting. The snapdragons will dwindle soon and a replacement will need to be found. As for now, they look good a long the brick walkway.

This old fountain has not been functional for a long time but it serves as a planter for these succulents. The Limelight hydrangeas surrounding it should soon be blooming.

The sweetspire “Little Henry Virginia” is showing off now with the racemes of white flowers. This shrub is new to the men’s garden but it is thriving in the dappled shade.

The rose campion is invasive but can be forgiven because it is so beautiful. It is easily removed if it becomes overly intrusive.

I mentioned the art show. Here is one of the winners. It is truly a stunner.

Enjoy your gardens this week. I hope to have some tomatoes to show by next Friday.

Remember the Propagator. He is the inspiration for this blog.

Shade and sun

We have been through a few rainy days brought on by a tropical depression coming off the Gulf of Mexico. The sun has returned today and the garden will now burst forth. The trees and shrubs are fully arrayed in their leafy glory so there is plenty of shade. The shade will protect the more tender of plants from the intense summer sun which is coming.

This is a beautiful time in the American South. Here are my photos for the day.

This is a mock orange planted 3 years ago. It has had a slow start but lots of beautiful blooms now. It is a glorious sun lover.

This is a Rudbeckia (Indian Summer) that I started from seed. They are planted in a mixed bed with some dahlias that I also started from seed. They are doing well in this sunny location.

This daylily is one of a group that is thriving in afternoon sun.

The oak leaf hydrangea is in morning sun and some afternoon sun. It has been in this location for many years. It is particulary glorious this year. It is an Alabama native.

This hosta thrives on the shady side of the house protected by a lorapetalum. It used to suffer from slug damage but a little diatomaceous earth has stopped that this year.

The majestic caladium Candide proudly sits in this planter at the entrance to the Mens Garden.

Hope you enjoyed the tour of the sun and shade.

Be sure to check out the Propagator

Summer blooms and visitors 20 May 2022

The summer heat is here this week with temps in the low 90’s. It is breezy at times which provides a bit of relief but being outdoors in the afternoons makes me weary from the heat. Garden work must be done in the mornings. It has been dry but a welcoming rain is forecast for this weekend.

The summer bloomers are appearing but there has also been some unexpected visitors.

My first picture today is morning sunrise on the beautiful Alabama Gulf Coast. The dunes are magnificent. This shot is overlooking the Bon Secour Wildlife Refuge.

Next are the “Nikko Blue” hydrangeas. They are on the shady side of the yard where they have been happy but the last two years with drought and then excessive rain there have been no blooms. This late spring though they are coming out. Joy.

Third is the astilbe. I also have these in the shady portion of the yard where they add needed color and contrast. They grow slowly but they are now coming into their own after several years.

The butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) is now mature enough that it will be attracting the butterflies. As a host plant, it is a needed food source for many caterpillars including the magestic Monarch. It is a beacon in the sunny perennial bed.

This blanket flower (Gallardia) is another beacon in the sunny perennial bed. It also attracts butterflies. This one has a skipper visiting.

A surprise visitor the other morning was this guy. He had flushed two female deer and was trying to run them down. He was outclassed in speed so he took a break on the driveway and had a scratch.

Enjoy the weather. For us in the southeast USA, it is time to stay hydrated and seek shade at mid afternoon.

Happy gardening and don’t forget to look at the Propagator.

Some Gulf Coast Photos 13 May 2022

I have been away at the Beautiful Alabama Gulf Coast. It has been marvellous weather. I am including some photos from there as well as some from home in Central Alabama. No matter where you travel in Alabama, you will be blessed with natural beauty.

This first photo is a Solomon’s Seal in bloom. It doesn’t bloom for long so you have to be watchful, especially so since it is in the shade garden.

I found this luna moth hanging out on the Encore Azalea. Its host plant is the tulip poplar which is in bloom just across the street from the Men’s Garden.

I found this iris on my walk at the Gulf Coast property where I have been staying. It resembles the Iris virginica at the Mens Garden.

Found this skink hiding in the iron plant. It must think I can’t see him.

Here is some cucumber leaved sunflower and sea oats framed against the beautiful Gulf waters. Makes you want to put up a sun umbrella.

Don’t you like this walking iris? It is sad that the bloom only lasts a little more than 24 hours. I have been able to propagate it easily. Just put the new growth that appears after the bloom fades into a small pot with some potting soil.

Found this magnificent Great Blue Heron lurking in the lily pond near our rental property on the Gulf Coast. He was probably feasting on some fish or crustacean found in the brackish water.

So, a mix of flora and fauna for you today.

Don’t forget to follow the Propagator. He is the inspiration for this blog.