Birds and Fairies and Bunnies, Oh My!
May 17, 2013
Posted By: Shaunescy
Here it the 2013 version.
This little bit of writing is seriously nothing more than a snapshot of my gardening exploits with my kids.
We've taken the half moon plot that is right outside of my front door and played with it. I hope you enjoy my story and maybe even pick up an easy and cheap idea or two.
Last years arrangement.
The rocks that lead to the 'theater' gazebo area from the patio took two small people aged 4 and 6 and one (ahem) 30- something-ish mother about 3 hours to arrange. We had a few false starts and only a little dirt-throwing to get through prior to settling on our design. Read: they went and rode bikes and made mud pies intermittently throughout the process.
As you probably know, the garden centers around town are back open for the season. My family loves the Junior Carpenter projects that Kenyon Noble hosts. They do them all over town at so many events. We made bird houses at the SWMBIA Home Show a couple of months ago and little planter boxes at their Mother's Day/Garden Center season opening.
The kids have decided that the bird houses make much better Extended Vacation Rental Properties for Fairies.
The hand lettered sign my son wrote for the fairies reads:
"Welcum Farries! Avalabul Room for Too!"
At the gardening center, the kids fell in love with Bleeding Hearts. I had to get one for them, which wasn't hard because a 1 gallon plant was under $6.
In their wonderful kid-way they have transformed them into "Baby Hearts." It is one of my favorites from childhood too. I just couldn't believe that the best shape in the world that I spent so much time learning to draw -- could actually exist as a plant!
And there were a couple of really selfish things I did. I admit it, I love my children and I adore their perceptions but, they are still manipulable. Plus, there are things that they just haven't read yet.
For example:
Hummingbirds are particularly attracted to the color red.
I have finally managed to attract hummingbirds to my garden. The red glass sugar-water hummingbird feeder bulb and a Bee Balm plant (a.k.a. Monarda) helped a lot. So much so that, one afternoon last summer as I took a moment to sit and read in the sun on my porch - I heard a loud buzzing sound.
It was like the biggest bumble bee on earth happened to be flying through.
I swung my book at it as it buzzed past my head.
Yes, stupidly. . . I tried to kill my first hummingbird visitor. Thankfully, they have forgotten my misstep.
Petunias are inexpensive ($1.79 for a 6-pack) and if you pluck the faded blossoms off, new ones will grow all summer long.
It is fine to splurge on an especially beautiful hanging basket. And again, Fuschias are bird and butterfly attractors.
Here is the one I picked up.
Just in case you need proof of my statements regarding their attractive properties. . .
we've accidentally created homes for other winged-inhabitants. This is a robin's nest.
That should be fun to watch. As long as I can figure out how to water the plant around them.
We have one little bunny tyrant who has been in the garden munching on the petunia blossoms.
Not sure what to do about that other than accept that I apparently live in Ferngully.
Letters to come soon!
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All my best, Bunnyfufu
