NOTE--To see an on-line version of this newsletter, copy this link and paste it into your web browser: http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=419&firstname=$$firstname$$&emailaddress=$$email$$&refurl=$$refurl$$ Please do not reply to this email. If you have questions or wish to unsubscribe, see the instructions at the bottom of this email. Dear $$firstname$$, Greetings from Birds & Blooms magazine! Signs of spring will soon be showing in many parts of the country, whether it's the arrival of seed catalogs, the return of birds or the year's first flowers. Flowers already? That's just one of the pleasant surprises in store this time! Read on to discover... >Look--Flowers in February! >Bluebirds End Late-Winter Blues >Quarter-Century Seeds? >Worth the Wait >A Reely Neat Idea >Swifts Are Like Gifts >Birds Welcome Visitors ---------- Look--Flowers in February! IT WAS summer when she moved into her retirement home a few years ago, recalls Joan L. of Homell, New York. "The only plants in the front yard were some thick, lovely shrubs below each window. "Imagine my surprise the following February when hundreds of tiny white flowers popped up under those same shrubs," she continues. "I'd never seen anything like them in our area, which has cold winters. I looked in my gardening books and learned they were snowdrops." It's hard to think of a more aptly named flower--native to alpine areas of Europe and Asia, snowdrops bloom in many parts of this country while there's still snow on the ground! After blooming, snowdrops can survive being completely buried by a late snowfall. No wonder these hardy little plants are also known as "the fair maids of February." Snowdrops have two or three long, slender leaves, and most are low-growing, ranging from 3 to 9 inches high. They produce one drooping, honey-scented flower on each stem, usually about 1/2 to 1 inch long with six petals--three longer outer ones and three shorter inner ones. Double-flower varieties are available. There's also a giant snowdrop that grows about 9 inches to 1 foot high and has longer flowers--up to 1-1/2 inches. Snowdrops look best used in a natural woodland setting or under deciduous trees and shrubs. They also look nice in borders and rock gardens or among other ground cover. They can be grown in pots, too. Snowdrops prefer partial shade and moist soil. Their bulbs should be planted in autumn about 3 to 4 inches deep and 3 to 4 inches apart. (Wear gloves--the bulbs may irritate your skin.) Because snowdrops are small and only produce a single flower, they may not look very showy the first year. But after that, these vigorous plants will usually bloom abundantly and spread quickly. Take Joan's advice and plant some snowdrops in your yard. They'll brighten your day faster than you can exclaim, "Look--flowers in February!" ---------- Bluebirds End Late-Winter Blues LAST SUMMER, Linda and Richard C. of Centralia, Illinois were lucky enough to observe eastern bluebirds nesting in their yard. "After the breeding season, we no longer saw as many bluebirds, but the few we did see were still around in late October," says Linda. "This surprised me--I always assumed that bluebirds migrated. "Doing some reading, I learned that they'll stay for the winter if you provide a home, water and food. So we bought a heating element for our birdbath, and my dad made a bluebird feeder, which we put right next to our patio. In just 3 hours, bluebirds were eating mealworms from it. We were thrilled! "Three bluebirds stayed the entire winter. No matter what the weather was like, they were at the feeder each morning at 6:30. If we were late with the mealworms, they'd wait patiently. After a month of buying the mealworms locally, we found a mail-order distributor. Next year, we might raise our own--we've heard it's easy to do. "Richard and I used to get cabin fever in winter. But with those bluebirds around, the months just flew by. Now we can't wait to see young bluebirds visit our feeder this summer." To view a photo: http://www.birdsandblooms.com/RD.asp?ID=411&pmcode=$$refurl$$ ---------- Quarter-Century Seeds? MANY YEARS AGO, Lois W. of Reno, Nevada mailed away for some giant gourd seeds, planning to make all sorts of interesting projects from the harvest. "Soon I had gourds growing all over the garden," she remembers. "Some I made into birdhouses, others I painted and some I gave away. "When we moved to a new home, I brought two gourds with us and hung them in the garage, where they stayed for the next 15 years. One day, when my neighbor said she'd like a birdhouse for her garden, I remembered the gourds and went right to work turning one into a cheerful birdhouse for her. "Cutting into the gourd to make the entrance hole, I noticed it still had lots of seeds inside. As a lark, I planted them, never expecting them to germinate. Two weeks later, little sprouts began to poke up from the ground. Oh, joy! I watered them daily, and the vines grew over my fence and into the neighbor's yard. They were covered with gourds! "I harvested a huge crop and let the gourds dry for a year in our garage, looking forward to using them for various projects. But I saved the largest one. Someday, I'll cut into it and plant the seeds for another crop. But, as you may have guessed, I'm not in any hurry." ---------- Discover Hundreds of Proven Backyard Secrets in This Brand-New Book! The Best of Birds & Blooms 2005 offers you nearly 500 of the BEST garden and bird-attracting solutions from the past year of Birds & Blooms—America’s #1 “backyard beauty” magazine—in one gorgeous hardcover book! You’ll enjoy 256 pages with all of last year’s best gardening tips, backyard projects, expert gardening advice and more...including 24 pages of bonus features...with 350 fabulous photos and heaps of how-to illustrations...all indexed and organized for your quick-and-easy use. It’s a veritable treasure trove of practical advice for backyard gardeners and bird enthusiasts like you! Best of all, as a subscriber to the Birds & Blooms newsletter, you’re entitled to special savings—$5.00 off what others pay—plus 2 FREE GIFTS! Click here to claim your 2 FREE GIFTS! http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/RD.asp?ID=1381&pmcode=$$refurl$$ ---------- Hurry & Save on the Fun-Filled Vacations! 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Mention promotion code BL10 when reserving to receive your savings. www.countrytours.com 1-800/344-6918 http://www.countrytours.com/rd.asp?id=945&pmcode=$$refurl$$ ---------- Worth the Wait IN Columbia Falls, Montana, Ellen H. says the first players in her annual "spring drama" begin their rehearsal long before winter officially ends. "In mid-February, a brief appearance by dark-eyed juncos offers hope for the changes to come. Soon, tulip leaves poke through the soil; I fear for their safety as nighttime temperatures dip into the single digits. "Between March snowstorms, an orchestra of robins, meadowlarks and red-winged blackbirds tunes up. Caught up in the joy of their first concerts, I nearly miss the debut of tiny yellow crocuses. "A flash of blue catches my eye, and I know mountain bluebirds are back. Their arrival coincides with the emergence of buttercups, our first, hardiest and longest-lasting spring wildflower. "In April and May, the show intensifies. Purple crocuses, pink tulips and grape hyacinths bloom. Shrubs begin to flower and leaf out. Bees hum, birds sing and a whirlwind of color and activity surrounds me. As I watch the snow retreat up the slopes around my home, I know spring has arrived. And the show is definitely worth the wait! ---------- A Reely Neat Idea WHEN her husband, Tom, was offered one of those large wooden reels used to hold underground telephone cable, he immediately thought of a creative way to use it in their backyard, writes Denise G. of Roseville, California. "That reel became a table planter. On top, Tom put different sizes of clay pots filled with plants, and he installed cup hooks for hanging planters around the edge. For good measure, he placed a birdbath in the middle. "The table planter is a focal point in our backyard, which we're trying to make as maintenance-free as possible. This sure fits the bill." To view a photo: http://www.birdsandblooms.com/RD.asp?ID=412&pmcode=$$refurl$$ ---------- Swifts Are Like Gifts SOME PEOPLE cap their chimneys to keep out chimney swifts, but not Eunice B. of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. "We feel honored when swifts make a home in our chimney every spring. We get a lot of pleasure and satisfaction from helping these valuable birds survive," she says. "To prepare for their arrival in spring, we place a sheet of plastic over our fireplace grate to catch bird droppings. We also position a large Chinese fan in front of the glass doors so the birds don't fly into them. Then we sit back in anticipation of the sound of swifts swooshing down our chimney. "All summer, we'll watch them circle our house, soaring and tittering as they catch insects, then swooping down the chimney to feed their young. After the young have fledged, they join their parents in the aerial display. Come early fall, they depart on a long migration to South America. "When we remove the plastic, you'd never even know the birds had been in the chimney. We eagerly await their return the following spring. It's a wonderful free gift from nature." ---------- Birds Welcome Visitors VISITORS will instantly feel at home with this plaque on your door. Five favorite songbirds sit on a branch above the rustic "welcome" sign. It's hand-painted polyresin with a coated metal chain and hook; 10 inches wide by 13 inches high. To order the Bird Welcome Plaque from Country Store On-line, visit: http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/rd.asp?id=1379&pmcode=$$refurl$$ ---------- Featured Item Birds in Your Backyard Click here for Information: http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/rd.asp?id=1380&pmcode=$$refurl$$ ---------- THIS NEWSLETTER is from the editors of some of your favorite magazines, including... 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