Greetings from Birds & Blooms magazine! We hope you enjoy this month's newsletter, which includes a hardy, versatile shrub, some colorful bird sightings, a bargain greenhouse and more. Read on and you'll discover...

> A Shrub for All Seasons
> Spring Comes in Orange and Red
> "Squeeze Play" Helps Transplants
> Keep the Lid on Squirrels
> Build a $5 Greenhouse
> No Ants Allowed
> Feeder, Nectar Attract Orioles

A Shrub for All Seasons

GARDENING is a challenge in Arizona, where the summers can be unbearably hot and the winters are cold enough to freeze some plants. One shrub that doesn't seem to mind these extremes is bottlebrush. For year-round good looks and spectacular flowers, this Australian native is tops...plus, it's one of the best natural hummingbird feeders around.

"We planted a bottlebrush outside our family room window so we can enjoy the antics of the hummers that are attracted to its red brush-like flowers," says Jim P. of Chandler. "The nectar cups that hold the red bristles are shallow and wide, so short-billed birds such as sparrows and finches also stop by for a sip or two."

Bottlebrush has trouble getting the iron it needs from Arizona's alkaline soil, so Jim adds a little chelated iron three or four times a year when fertilizing. "I also prune in winter to ensure a good crop of flowers. Then we enjoy its rich green leaves and wait for its blooms to explode in spring."

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Spring Comes in Orange and Red

UP IN Fairmont, Minnesota, Mary C. enjoys the wide variety of birds that visit her backyard each spring. "Last year," she says, "I put out orange halves in hopes of attracting Baltimore orioles. I was excited when my efforts paid off--we had six pairs stay and nest in our neighborhood."

But Mary had an even bigger thrill when a "neon" red bird with black wings and tail dropped in to visit. "That male scarlet tanager stayed for nearly 2 weeks, feasting on our oranges and giving everyone a chance to admire it. Even neighbors who aren't bird-watchers took notice of this striking bird. You can be sure we'll all be on the lookout for our colorful visitor again this spring!"
 

"Squeeze Play" Helps Transplants

TO INCREASE your success when transplanting seedlings, take a tip from Janeen J. of Roundup, Montana. "I grow about 700 seedlings on a table in front of our window," she says. "Since they're not as strong as greenhouse-raised plants, they need all the help they can get."

When she's ready to transplant her starts, Janeen carries a small squeeze bottle (like the kind liquid dish soap comes in) and a bucket of water so she can refill it. "I squirt the spot where I want to plant the seedling, then use a grapefruit spoon with a serrated edge to dig a hole for the plant," Janeen instructs. "After it's in, I squirt the area once more.

"This keeps the seedlings nice and moist--they don't even know they've been transplanted. It works well with even my most delicate plants."

Keep the Lid on Squirrels

FEATHERED FRIENDS are plentiful near the Hampden, Massachusetts home of Joan D.--and so are squirrels. "We have six birdhouses in the pines in front of our house," Joan writes. "Last spring, we noticed that the entry holes on two of the houses were being chewed by squirrels, making them much larger than the birds would use.

"My husband came up with a clever way to keep the squirrels at bay. He removed the metal lids from two empty soup cans, cut proper-sized entry holes through the centers and smoothed the edges. Then he nailed the lids over the damaged holes.

"There's no way the squirrels will be able to chew through those holes without getting a toothache!"

Build a $5 Greenhouse

EAGER TO GET a start on the growing season, Jeff N. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin came up with an inexpensive and easy way to plant his raised bed early. Using a heavy-duty plastic drop cloth, scrap wood and a pair of ladder hooks, he created a temporary greenhouse to cover bedding plants during cool spring days and nights. In total, materials for his 15-minute project cost less than $5!

"This simple greenhouse really helped our plants along," Jeff says. "I just sandwiched one end of the plastic between two long two-by-fours and attached the other end to our fence with some shorter two-by-fours. The open sides allowed for plenty of ventilation so the plants wouldn't get too warm. And on nice days, I rolled the cover up and hung it on the ladder hooks. The results were fantastic!"
 

No Ants Allowed

IT'S BEEN SAID that necessity is the mother of invention. But if you ask Margaret P. of Marshville, North Carolina, she'll probably tell you it was frustration that led to her idea. "For years," Margaret explains, "I've had hummingbird feeders hanging in my yard. No matter where I put them, ants soon found them and kept the hummingbirds away.

"Then I had a flash of inspiration. I built a small wooden post to hold my nectar feeders and then placed the post in the middle of a small artificial pond in our yard. The arrangement works beautifully--the ants can't get to the feeders, and the hummers are attracted to the trickling water, too."

Feeder, Nectar Attract Orioles

JUST the sight of our brilliant orange nectar feeder will attract the orioles in your neighborhood. No-drip, 40-ounce feeder has three perches and a hanging cord and is so easy to clean. Fill it with our nectar mix (sold separately) and they'll surely come back for more! You get two boxes of easy-to-make mix. Each box makes 64 ounces of food.

To order the Oriole Feeder from Country Store On-line, click here.

To order the Oriole Nectar Mix 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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