Saturday, April 11, 2009

Gourds For Nesting Platforms

Last year we had a pair of Phoebes nesting on top of the upstairs window frame under the eaves. After a little reading, I discovered that you can purchase nesting platforms for birds such as Phoebes and Robins. As I was drilling the hole for this gourd birdhouse, it cracked and as I was about to throw it away I had an idea! I cut the hole out larger and decorated it like I do my other gourds. I've hung it under the eaves near my kitchen window and am hoping to attract the Phoebes - or perhaps a Robin.
I'm keeping my eye on it and will share some pics if I succeed. My biggest problem around the farm is the persistence of the sparrows. They try to nest in everything and I'm sure they'll think this is a handy place to build one of their messy nests.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Easy Grow Coneflowers

Growing a beautiful flower garden on the prairie can be a challenge at times, with the extreme temperatures, lots of wind, not to mention greedy pests and weeds that are ready to take over any place that is given extra water and care. Fortunately, if you look for them, there are many beautiful plants that are native to the prairie and really thrive in a garden.
One of my favorites is the purple coneflower. This hardy, beautiful plant can be a real standout in your garden. It can be grown nearly everywhere in the U.S. and reseeds itself and comes back year after year. Another great thing about these flowers is that they attract butterflies to your garden. If you leave the seed heads on in the winter, birds, such as goldfinches, will feed on them.
Coneflowers are becoming available in a nice range of colors which makes them even more desirable. A whole bed of them will be a nice spot of color in your landscape. I'm planning where I'm going to put some more of them this summer.