Birds & Butterflies

We all love to see nature at work in our gardens. Birds and butterflies are especially intriguing. With summer break coming and the kids at home, it might be a good time to do some gardening together, or get bird feeders to attract beautiful wild birds into view. There are plants that will attract butterflies and birds into your yard also. Planting a "butterfly garden", or "bird and butterfly garden" with the kids could be a great summer project!

We have many varieties here at "Daylily Hill" and you'll find them marked with a tag on their sign holder. We also have a list on our website for your reference. I just found a great web-site for you to check out www.birds-n-garden. Look for "Gardening to Attract Wild Birds, Butterflies and Hummingbirds. I found it quite interesting and you can even shop for bird feeders right on the website! Hope you enjoy it too.

Designing a Container Garden…
in Succulents
Begin by choosing your container carefully. Take some time to decide where you want to place the container, making sure it will get enough light, and then concentrate on the style, and size making sure it has drain holes. Once you have your container, its time to get some soil or chunky planter mix that will drain well to fill it. Our own “Chunky Granola” makes a fine choice.

Now the fun begins! If you’re not familiar with succulents, dig into a book or check out some websites for information and pictures. Don’t forget us! Look at the main menu on “plant lists”. You’ll be given a selection called “Soft Looking Succulents”. Just click on a selection and browse! In addition, snoop through some local nurseries. Discover the world of succulents! Find out how large they want to grow, and what exposures they do well in, to see if they suit the container you have chosen.

When it comes to actually purchasing the plants, remember to choose some contrasting colors, shapes and habits. You’ll want a focal or accent plant that may be taller than the others and one or two graceful, cascading varieties for the edges. Keep in mind that you can trim, snip and shape your mini-garden as it grows. In the beginning, give your selections some space to grow into. This leaves some soil exposed, so you might want to cover it with some small pebbles, polished glass stones, or sand. You could try a tropical fish store for ideas too!

Now, sit back and enjoy the compliments of your friends and family as you watch your garden evolve into a world of color and textures. You’ll only need to fertilize every 2-3 month with a good balanced fertilizer or house-plant fertilizer. Minimal watering is required to keep your planter looking lush.

* Note – Succulent Container Gardens make great gifts!

We are often asked for suggestions on cascading succulents.
Here is a list of just a few for your consideration:

Senecio radicans	Crassula perforata
Oscularia deltoides	Othonna capensis
Sedum rubrotinctum	Portulacaria afra var.
Portulacaria afra minima	Sedum rupestre
Crassula pellucida marginalis	Crassula muscosa

Tom used heavier material for ours: lodge pole stakes wrapped with jute. We discovered jute to be a bit heavy and switched to bird netting that is often used to protect the fruit on trees from being eaten by birds. It’s much lighter and does the job. When I first saw the Tee Pees made with the jute, I had to laugh. They were so much different than the little ones in the magazine, I was sure we were expecting a band of Indians to move in! I adapted to them being much larger and looking quite different than originally expected and learned to love them. We still use them for growing tomatoes and cucumbers or whatever we decide to grow for the season. As you begin the project, be sure to find a spot with good soil for growing, or amend it before you begin. Then, as your plants begin to grow, just tie them up onto your netting and enjoy!

* Note: Feel free to experiment with materials and sizes in order to make them uniquely your own! You might want to search the web for other tee-pee construction ideas.