Friday, May 24, 2013

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Jill

Find a Birding or Wildlife Festival To Attend This Spring

April 6, 2013

Next month, Birds & Blooms editors will visit the the Biggest Week in American Birding in Northwest Ohio, and they’d love for you to join them! If Northwest Ohio is a little too far away for you, though, you can still seek out birding and wildlife festivals closer to home. The internet is full of [...]

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Butterfly Host Plants: Milkweed is Just the Beginning!

April 3, 2013

I’m frequently asked, “How can I get a wider variety of butterflies to visit my garden?” The answer to this question is actually pretty simple – you have to provide their host plants. There’s been a lot of talk lately about how important it is to plant milkweed to support the struggling monarch population. Milkweed [...]

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Giant Hyssop for Butterflies and Hummingbirds

March 30, 2013

Planning your butterfly and hummingbird garden? Be sure to include some Giant Hyssop species, the common name for Agastache (ah-guh-STAH-kee). These members of the mint family (not to be confused with true hyssops, Hyssopus, found in Europe and Asia) are guaranteed to be magnets for hummingbirds and butterflies of all kinds, and with plenty of [...]

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Monarch Migration: Milkweed Matters

March 27, 2013

By now,  you’ve certainly heard the news about the dramatic monarch population decline that’s been documented this year. (If not, click here to read SeEtta’s recent terrific post on the subject.) It’s true – monarch numbers are down this year, and there are a variety of factors involved. While weather is partially to blame, another [...]

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Four Ways to Prep For Spring (Even If You’re Stuck Inside)

March 23, 2013

The calendar says spring, but in many parts of the country, the weather forecast begs to differ. If you’re getting a little antsy for warm weather and spring planting, but instead you’re stuck inside this weekend watching the snow or rain (or dreaded “wintry mix”), here are four activities to keep you busy and help [...]

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My Best Backyard Bird Sighting

March 20, 2013

Backyard birding is wonderful, there’s no doubt about it. As much I love spotting birds at the park or the beach, or while hiking in a nature preserve, having a bird visit my very own yard makes me feel a little closer to it – a little like it belongs to me. So I was [...]

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It’s Time for Buzzard Day in Hinckley, Ohio!

March 16, 2013

  I was born in a small town about 20 miles south of Cleveland. It was a nice place to grow up, with lots of woods to play in and streets that kids could safely ride bikes on. It’s the kind of town that is pleasant and usually fairly anonymous, with thousands more like it [...]

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Spring Butterflies: Mourning Cloak

March 13, 2013

Some folks still have snow on the ground, but others are starting too see signs of spring. A friend of mine in Washington DC commented on Facebook that his daffodils are blooming, and recent reports say ruby-throated hummingbirds and monarch butterflies are on the way north once again. In many parts of the country, one [...]

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Calibrachoa for Baskets, Borders, and Butterflies

March 9, 2013

When I saw my first Million Bells plant in a local plant nursery a few years ago, I immediately fell in love. The tiny petunia-like blossoms were brilliantly-colored and unbelievably numerous, and the plant tag promised easy care and no dead-heading.  I scooped up several colors and happily took them home, eager to see them [...]

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Top Tips for Attracting Orioles to Your Yard

March 6, 2013

Among the most sought-after backyard birds, Baltimore Orioles, Orchard Orioles, and Bullock’s Orioles boast bright orange and black coloration and build interesting gourd-shaped nests at the end of tree branches. Some folks seem to have plenty of luck bringing these birds to their backyard feeders, while others struggle year after year to bring these elusive [...]

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Five New Feeders to Try This Spring

March 2, 2013

Migration season is on the way, and backyard bird feeders play a big role in these annual journeys. Why not welcome the birds to your yard with a new style of feeder, something you haven’t tried before? Here are some of the coolest new options out there: Oriole Delight Feeder (available at Duncraft): Orioles love [...]

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Dahlberg Daisies for Dry Sunny Gardens

February 27, 2013

A few years ago, I came upon some Dahlberg Daisies (Thymophylla tenuiloba) at my local nursery, and fell in love with their feathery foliage and cheerful yellow flowers. I planted them as a border in my sunny front yard, and they did very well until Florida’s wet summer weather set it, and they all died [...]

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Sweet Alyssum in Spring Combinations

February 23, 2013

Allow me to introduce you to one of my favorite cool-season annuals: Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima). This low-growing beauty is native to the Mediterranean region (hence the botanical name maritima), and will grow in just about any garden as long as the temperatures remain fairly cool and the humidity isn’t too high. Folks in the [...]

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