Gardening is for the Birds
A couple of years ago someone asked me how I viewed my back yard.
I told him that I thought it was the best room in the house.
Actually, when we found this house the best selling point was the back yard.
Yes, we are outdoors people.
The yard backed up to a wooded ravine, and we saw its potential to become a haven for our recreation.
So began its transformation into the "best room in the house".
We have planted our gardens with two concepts in mind.
We wanted to plant to conserve water and attract a variety of avifauna.
Living in Central Texas one must cope with hot dry summers.
Water becomes a major concern.
Therefore, we were quite excited to learn of xeriscape gardening.
Xeriscape is a concept whereby one uses native plants that are drought resistant and drought tolerant.
The variety of plants is substantial, and once the plants are established the maintenance is minimal.
We have red oaks, pecans, mulberries and redbud trees for shade.
We have some hackberries which serve to attract butterflies.
We have some stump trees that serve as homes and shelter for woodpeckers.
The Mock Orange is a shrub we've left in place for its beautiful flowers in the spring as well as shelter and hiding places for the birds who visit our bird bath.
We planted Texas Betony, Turks' Cap, Horse Herb, Blue Sage, Texas Lantana, Plumbago, Mexican Petunias, Cow Pen and Ox-eye Daises, Purple and Red Verbenas, Esperanza, and Yellow Columbine.
This has given us a variety of colors of flowers and a variety of blooming times.
Texas Betony is one of the first to bloom putting out a red flower to which the hummingbirds are quite attracted.
Lantana generally follows with its yellow flowers attracting the attention of butterflies as well as the hummers.
Turks' Cap blooms later but all summer long.
Toward the end of summer the Blue Sage is doing well and often many hummers are alternating between the Turks' Cap and the Blue Sage.
The Black-chinned and Ruby-throated hummingbirds native to our area find our plants and our feeders with equal ease.
We have place several different types of feeders around the yard, too, along with the bird bath and a mister.
Together with our gardens we have been able to attract Cardinals, Robins, Titmice, Carolina Wrens, Red-bellied and Downy Woodpeckers, Common Yellowthroats, Yellow Warblers, Yellow-rumped and Orange-crowned Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Dark-eyed Juncos and many more species of birds.
No brag, just gardening for the birds.
I told him that I thought it was the best room in the house.
Actually, when we found this house the best selling point was the back yard.
Yes, we are outdoors people.
The yard backed up to a wooded ravine, and we saw its potential to become a haven for our recreation.
So began its transformation into the "best room in the house".
We have planted our gardens with two concepts in mind.
We wanted to plant to conserve water and attract a variety of avifauna.
Living in Central Texas one must cope with hot dry summers.
Water becomes a major concern.
Therefore, we were quite excited to learn of xeriscape gardening.
Xeriscape is a concept whereby one uses native plants that are drought resistant and drought tolerant.
The variety of plants is substantial, and once the plants are established the maintenance is minimal.
We have red oaks, pecans, mulberries and redbud trees for shade.
We have some hackberries which serve to attract butterflies.
We have some stump trees that serve as homes and shelter for woodpeckers.
The Mock Orange is a shrub we've left in place for its beautiful flowers in the spring as well as shelter and hiding places for the birds who visit our bird bath.
We planted Texas Betony, Turks' Cap, Horse Herb, Blue Sage, Texas Lantana, Plumbago, Mexican Petunias, Cow Pen and Ox-eye Daises, Purple and Red Verbenas, Esperanza, and Yellow Columbine.
This has given us a variety of colors of flowers and a variety of blooming times.
Texas Betony is one of the first to bloom putting out a red flower to which the hummingbirds are quite attracted.
Lantana generally follows with its yellow flowers attracting the attention of butterflies as well as the hummers.
Turks' Cap blooms later but all summer long.
Toward the end of summer the Blue Sage is doing well and often many hummers are alternating between the Turks' Cap and the Blue Sage.
The Black-chinned and Ruby-throated hummingbirds native to our area find our plants and our feeders with equal ease.
We have place several different types of feeders around the yard, too, along with the bird bath and a mister.
Together with our gardens we have been able to attract Cardinals, Robins, Titmice, Carolina Wrens, Red-bellied and Downy Woodpeckers, Common Yellowthroats, Yellow Warblers, Yellow-rumped and Orange-crowned Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Dark-eyed Juncos and many more species of birds.
No brag, just gardening for the birds.
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