Dear $$firstname$$,

Greetings from Birds & Blooms magazine! We hope you enjoy this month's newsletter, which includes a vine with fairy-tale proportions, a fence that "flutters", tips on choosing and using a chipper-shredder and more. Read on and you'll discover...

> Storybook Vine Grows on You
> Critters Are Crazy For Her Biscuits
> Daughter Shares Dandelion Secrets
> Fence That Flutters
> Couple Shares Bird Songs
> Do You Need a Chipper-Shredder?
> Be a Backyard Weather Watcher

Storybook Vine Grows on You

WANTING a fast-growing plant to cover an arbor in her Fort Worth, Texas backyard, Peggy L. planted a hyacinth-bean vine. Soon she was amazed by its fairy-tale proportions!

"I have never seen such a fast-growing vine with such beautiful long-stemmed flowers," writes Peggy.

Not only did the vine cover her archway, it grew the entire length of her fence and climbed up her plum tree, providing the finishing touch to her bird sanctuary. "I thought I'd planted Jack's legendary beanstalk," she says. "I can see why the vine is nicknamed Jack-O-Bean."

One morning when she went to refill her bird feeders, more than 50 birds flew from the cover of the bean vine, where they had been completely hidden from sight, Peggy relates. "I knew then that I had found the perfect vine for my birds--the large leaves shelter them from the hot Texas sun and our heavy rains.

"I plan to grow it in my yard every year!"

To view a photo, click here.

A FEW YEARS ago, Jackie L. moved from California to a country home in Knoxville, Tennessee with husband Bill.

"I decided I couldn't be really 'country' until I learned to make biscuits from scratch," she says. "I tried, but batch after batch failed--and was taken outside for the birds to eat.

"Soon my biscuit-making skills became a joke around the house. When family or friends called to ask Bill how I was adapting to country life, he'd tell them that because of my 'lead' biscuits, we had 50-pound birds in our backyard that couldn't fly!

"Of course, he was exaggerating. But I considered my biscuits a blessing in disguise. Thanks to them, all kinds of critters came to feed in our yard--cardinals, blue jays, doves, sparrows, finches and squirrels, too."

RAISING nine children in a small Idaho town, Raquel B.'s mom always had more dandelions than time or money. So she kept the kids entertained with the wonders of these bright yellow blooms.

"Mom taught us that other flowers may look pretty or smell good, but they're boring compared to dandelions," says Raquel, of Costa Mesa, California.

"For example, a dandelion stem, split lengthwise and set in water, will curl up tighter than the curly ribbon on a birthday gift. It was neat to watch and very useful for art projects or for adding curly hair to our dolls.

"And a dandelion's hollow stem is ideal for producing chains and necklaces, too. We simply inserted the smaller stem end into the larger end to create a circle that could interlock with others.

"When a dandelion goes to seed, the fluffy flower is great for making wishes. According to Mom, there was one important rule: The wishes only come true if all the seeds left our yard!"

PAINTING a fence in their Palm Harbor, Florida backyard was a team project that brought Lois W. and husband Bob closer to nature.

"That's because we decorated it with 18 different butterflies that are common to our area," Lois explains. "Bob painted the host plants while I added my artistic touch by painting the butterflies.

"The project brought back lots of memories, like the time our grandsons watched black swallowtails and zebra longwings lay eggs in our garden...and the time we waited for monarchs to emerge from their chrysalises.

"It also helped us make new memories. One butterfly landed on a flower Bob painted. That's quite a tribute to his artistic skills!"

To view a photo, click here.

Couple Shares Bird Songs

IN De Quincy, Louisiana, Margie T. knows how much her mother enjoys birds. "When Mom visits, she and my husband Manson spend hours on our screened-in back porch, watching the birds," Margie writes.

Recently Margie discovered that her mother was enjoying only half the show. "Doctors diagnosed Mom's hearing loss, and we realized she could hardly hear the birds' beautiful songs."

So Margie made a cassette tape of their backyard birds singing. "Now when Mom watches the birds, we play the tape at a volume loud enough for her to hear. She can really enjoy the sights and sounds!"

Do You Need a Chipper-Shredder?

From Birds & Blooms' Ultimate Gardening Guide By Melinda Myers

YARD WASTE, no matter how large, will eventually decompose, so a chipper or shredder isn't absolutely necessary. But smaller pieces do break down faster, ensuring quicker compost.

Commercial shredders and chippers are available at garden centers and equipment stores, but they can be pricey. Before you invest in one, find out which type works best for the yard waste you generate. Certain shredders work best on leaves and small brush, while others will handle twigs 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Some models may clog when shredding fresh or wet materials, so be sure to investigate your options before buying.

I recommend renting shredders first. This way you can try several different models and find one that works best for you. If you decide to buy, consider splitting the cost with several friends or relatives. (Just make sure your relationship can withstand the test of sharing!)

EDITOR'S NOTE: You'll find much more information in the Birds & Blooms Ultimate Garden Guide. We'll share more practical tips from this new book in upcoming newsletters. To order a copy for yourself, click here.

BIGGER and more durable than others you've seen, our new Garden Weather Center makes you a backyard weather reporter. You get a 15-inch high thermometer, a big, easy-to-read 9-1/2-inch high rain gauge, plus a 9-inch wide weathervane showing wind direction and speed. It's all supported by a sturdy 58-inch high metal pole that easily stakes into the ground. Metal and weatherproof plastic. Assembly required.

To order the Garden Weather Center from Country Store On-line,
click here.

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Birds & Blooms magazine brings beautiful backyards from across America into your living room--through vivid, full-color photos. It's like a friendly "chat" over the back fence with your bird-and flower-loving neighbors. 

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