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Art of Green Spaces Poster Contest
Students in kindergarten through 12th grade can create a poster that exemplifies their artistic skills while describing what “green spaces” mean to them.
Find out how to enter.
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Dear ##firstname[Friend]##,
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| Kirsten Sweet |
Here at Birds & Blooms, we love a good bargain and thrifty ideas. That’s why we created a place we can all share ideas for making our backyards better than ever using recycling. Check out our Facebook group Recycled Backyard to see some great cardboard gardening ideas and see what others gardeners like you are doing in their backyards with recycled materials! Go ahead and join this Recycled Backyard community today and start recycling with us.
Happy Gardening!
–Kirsten
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READ ON TO DISCOVER...
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Birds & Blooms Blog
Visit the gardening section of our blog for gardening advice and ideas from our bloggers and Birds & Blooms staff. Find out how to use coffee sleeves and paper cups for starting seeds! It’s recycling at its best.
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Plant of the Month
Blazing star
Also called gayfeather or liatris, this flower attracts butterflies and hummingbirds to its spikes of lavender, rose, or white flowers. American goldfinches, tufted titmice and other seed eaters savor its seed heads.
Common Names: Blazing star, gayfeather.
Botanical Name: Liatris species and cultivars.
Hardiness: Zones 3 to 9.
Bloom Time: Summer.
Size: 2 to 5 feet high, 1 to 2 feet wide.
Flowers: Pink-purple or white flowerheads, produced in dense spikes.
Light Needs: Full to partial sun.
Growing Advice: Once established, its tuberous rootstock will anchor it and enable it to survive drought amazingly well.
Prize Picks: Kobold (or Goblin), though no higher than 2 feet tall, has large, full, rosy-lilac blooms.
Take a look at our Top 10 Butterfly Favorites list for more gorgeous blooms for butterflies.
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Recycled Backyard
Make a hanging basket using a recycled cardboard box. It’ll only last a season, but it’s got great character and can be tossed into the compost pile at the end of the season. Find out how to create your own!
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Question of the Month
Annual Orange Plant
This bright-orange plant appears in my garden every year. Can you tell me what it is? — Joan Langille, Truro, Nova Scotia
Melinda:Your mystery plant is commonly called Maltese cross and goes by the scientific name Lychnis chalcedonica. This perennial is relatively easy to grow in full sun and most soils. Avoid wet or poorly drained areas, since these conditions tend to shorten its lifespan. Over the years, you should see more and more of this perennial. It readily self seeds, resulting in plenty of seedlings to grow and share. Avoid cultivating the soil early in the season, which tends to "weed out" such seedlings. Letting nature do the work is the easiest way to propagate this plant. You also can dig and divide your existing plant in early spring or late summer to expand your planting.
For answers to your gardening questions, visit the Plant Doctor section of our website.
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Frugal Backyard Tip
Uses for Plastic Bags
Protect plants from frost. Cut a hole in the bottom of a plastic bag, slip it over a plant and anchor it with small rocks. Tie it closed or close it with a clothespin or paper clip. You can open the bags when the weather warms up.
Protect your shoes from mud. Just cover them with plastic bags before you head outside to garden; secure them with rubber bands.
Store equipment manuals. Stash all your outdoor equipment warranties and owner's manuals in a plastic bag, label it and hang it in your garage. Next time you need information, you'll know exactly where to look.
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Submit Your Story
Do you have a DIY gardening project you’d like to share with us? Send us your photos and projects using our Submit Your Story form.
Submit your story»
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