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| Dear $$firstname$$,
Greetings from Birds & Blooms magazine!
In this issue, you'll find some fun and practical tips for
feeding birds through the fall, one northern gardener's tips
for extending the blooming season, facts about an aptly-named
annual shrub and more. Read on to discover...
Add Some Fun to Fall Feeding
Northern Gardener Keeps 'em Blooming
The Name Says It All
Patience Pays with Camera-Shy Birds
Pucker Up to Lemon Verbena
Bird Puzzles Bring Hours of Fun |
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Add Some Fun to Fall Feeding
HERE ARE some great ideas from readers for
feeding feathered friends through the fall.
When flowers are finished blooming, many people put away their
hanging baskets. But Terry C. of Northfield, Minnesota finds
they make excellent fall and winter bird feeders that can be
hung near windows. "Come fall, after I remove the spent
annuals, I pour birdseed over the dirt and wait for the birds
to fly in for dinner," says Terry. "I also fill my
other deck containers with seed to attract even more birds.
It's an easy way to add more feeders without spending a lot
of money."
In Birmingham, Alabama, Pat S. attracts colorful woodpeckers
and flickers to her backyard with a simple homemade feeder.
"Just find a small fallen tree and cut a 5- to 6-foot section
from its trunk," she suggests. "Then drill several
1/2-inch holes along the trunk and fill them with suet or peanut
butter. It won't take long before lots of woodpeckers and flickers
show up for dinner!"
Kenneth S. of Reading, Pennsylvania knows that birds really
enjoy wild hickory nuts...with a little help cracking the rock-hard
shells. "All you have to do is take a minute to break them
up," he explains. "Just hold the nuts with pliers
and hit them with a hammer. (Wear goggles to protect your eyes.)
I put the broken nuts--shells and all--in my bird feeders. The
birds carry away the pieces and pick out the nut meats from
the shells. I collect hickory nuts in the fall and feed them
to the birds all winter." |
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| One-of-a-kind
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“It was simply my
best vacation ever, and a travel experience I’ll never
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amid the ruins of Old Panama City…strolled the cobblestone
streets of Colonial Panama…drove through the majestic
mountains to El Valle…and walked through the rainforest
on the edges of Lake Alajuela.
A highlight of the trip, of course, was the
incredible coast-to-coast crossing of the Panama
Canal. One day we were standing in the Miraflores Locks
visitor’s center hearing about the fascinating history
of the Panama Canal…and the next day we were riding through
those very locks, making our way from one end of the Canal to
the other. It was an amazing adventure! |
But, we experienced a Panama
that is so much more than just a canal. I’ll never forget
the smiling faces of the Embera Indian children as they reached
for our hands…the stunning sight of the Bridge of the
Americas lit up against the sky…or the scent of thousands
of brilliantly colored orchids.”
—Jen Olski, 2003 Panama Tour Host |
Exclusive
Tour Operator of Reiman Publications
1-800/344-6918 |
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| Northern Gardener Keeps 'em Blooming |
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THE GROWING SEASON in British Columbia is
short, says Anita B. of Lac La Hache. "Just as we put
the flowers in the garden, it seems like the first frost is
right around the corner. Because of that, I've experimented
and found an easy way to extend summer color."
Come September, Anita begins moving her potted geraniums into
the house overnight. Before long, they stay indoors. "I
put them by a window in the dining room and faithfully water
them every week. I also feed them at the same time with 20-20-20
fertilizer. This has worked well--the geraniums bloom continuously
through the cold months, and I can stretch the summer right
through winter."
When May rolls around, the geraniums go back in the garden.
"The taller plants make a nice backdrop, and I scatter
the shorter ones all around the yard," Anita says.
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The Name Says It All
IF EVER there was a plant virtually guaranteed
to attract butterflies, it's butterfly bush. Sometimes called
orange-eye butterfly bush or summer lilac, this colorful shrub
with its clusters of bright nectar-filled flowers also attracts
bumblebees, moths, hummingbirds and other songbirds. It's truly
a favorite of gardeners who enjoy growing plants that attract
birds and butterflies.
In the northern and central United States, butterfly bush is
considered "root-hardy", not "top-hardy".
This means plants may die back to the ground but will grow again
each year from the roots. Since it blooms on new growth, losing
shoots to frost or a harsh winter will not affect its flowering
ability. If grown in a warmer climate, they must be pruned to
within 6 inches of the ground to promote strong new growth and
more flowering.
Butterfly bushes grow fast; it's not unusual for one to reach
5 to 8 feet by fall. Because of this, they make colorful additions
to the back of any shrub or perennial border. From July into
fall, the branch ends produce small fragrant flowers in long,
dense 4- to 10-inch clusters that make any yard a butterfly's
dream come true. The flowers can be white, pink, red or lilac-colored,
depending on the variety. Cut off faded or dead blossoms and
you'll be rewarded with more flowers throughout the season.
Butterfly bush is easy to grow. It needs full sun (at least
6 hours a day), well-drained soil, enough water to maintain
growth and plenty of room to grow. The fragrant flowers are
at their best in late summer and seem to have a magnetic effect
on butterflies--some folks say the plant appears to be blooming
with butterflies! No doubt about it--butterfly bush lives up
to its name. |
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| Now's a Great Time To Visit! |
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IF you love flowers, there are over 37,000
of them blooming in historic Greendale, Wisconsin. Along with
quaint shops and restaurants, this charming village is home
to the Reiman Publications Visitor Center. There, you can
watch our food staff test recipes, walk through an extensive
Norman Rockwell exhibit and find incredible bargains at our
Country Store Outlet.
Groups are particularly welcome. Call 414/423-5333 for open
hours and directions. Come soon, while we're still in full
bloom!
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Patience Pays with Camera-Shy Birds
AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER Kris B. of Honey Brook,
Pennsylvania knows that getting good bird photos takes patience--and
luck. "One year my daughter planted sunflowers that eventually
grew about 8 feet tall," Kris recalls. "Late that
summer, I spotted American goldfinches eating the seeds. I grabbed
my camera, but when I went outside to shoot some photos, I scared
them away.
"Those finches must have been camera-shy, because every
time I tried to photograph them eating the seeds, they flew
off. I knew there had to be a way to get them on film, and I
refused to give up. Eventually, I took the screen off my bathroom
window and put the camera on the windowsill. Then, after waiting
for what seemed to be forever, I finally got the photos I wanted.
"A few weeks later, I was drying some of the sunflowers
on our picnic table when I spotted a male goldfinch enjoying
a snack. I quickly snapped a photo, and it turned out even better
than the others I'd taken earlier...and much easier than shooting
through the bathroom window!" |
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| Pucker Up to Lemon Verbena |
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EVEN IF lemons don't grow on trees in your
area, they can still star on your menu...thanks to lemon verbena.
For green-thumbed cooks, this herb will grow almost anywhere.
It thrives in full sun, warm temperatures and rich soil. In
colder climates, grow it in a container and keep it indoors
during winter.
This dainty deciduous shrub can be started from seed or from
soft cuttings taken in summer. It can grow 5 to 15 feet tall
and produces clusters of lavender-pink flowers that bloom
in summer. Lemon verbena's pale green pointed leaves provide
its sweet citrus fragrance and intense lemon flavor when used
in cooking. The leaves are easy to dry and maintain their
strong lemon scent and flavor a long time.
Fresh or dried leaves brighten the taste of poultry or fish
and add zip to salad dressings, vegetables, marinades, jams,
cooked rice and breads, as well as sweet dishes like custards
and cakes. Next time you're lacking lemons, don't be a sourpuss--pucker
up to this sweetheart of an herb!
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| Bird Puzzles Bring Hours
of Fun |
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PUZZLED over how to spend an enjoyable
autumn evening? Try a unique jigsaw puzzle! When the cardinals
aren't dining at your feeder, the challenging Cardinal Puzzle
lets you see them anytime. This unique, 800-piece puzzle
looks like the view from a pair of binoculars! Measures
19" x 34". For folks who like hummingbirds, the
800-piece Hummingbird Puzzle is actually shaped like a hummer
and includes blended scenes of other birds, too. Measures
35" L.
To order the Cardinal Puzzle from
Country Store On-line, click
here.
To order the Hummingbird Puzzle 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.
To subscribe on-line, visit http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=361
**********
Copyright 2004 Reiman Media Group,
Inc. All rights reserved.
Birds & Blooms, 5400 S. 60th Street, P.O. Box
991, Greendale WI 53129-0991
1-800/344-6913
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