Creating a wildlife garden allows you take part in your larger surrounding environment. Often gardens are completely shut out from the natural landscape around it and aren’t welcoming to birds and other wildlife. Adding a few well placed and well chosen shrubs or trees can make all the difference when trying to attract birds to your garden.

Map out and observe your surroundings to see what natural habitats are close by. Are there any ponds, rivers, or streams? Are parks, golf courses or nature reserves nearby? Remember, your garden is part of the larger environment. Knowing what the local ecosystems are will better enable you to plan your garden.

In order to attract birds, gardens must supply them with food, water, shelter and nesting areas. Provide for different bird species by making available a variety of seed and berry producing trees and shrubs, such as Washington hawthorn, mountain ash, cherry and viburnum. Flowers such as hollyhock, nasturtium, and sunflower produce seed which attract birds as well. Indigenous plants, those which grow naturally in a specific area, are very effective at attracting local bird species. Try to incorporate some of these into your garden.

Also, be sure to provide food throughout the year. For example, in the spring have a few different berry producing shrubs available, such as blueberries and raspberries. In the summer, perennials provide seed and in the fall trees such as dogwood and serviceberry bear fruit which birds will seek out. Birds which over winter in your area will need sustenance provided by winterberry and other fruit bearing shrubs.

Different birds need different foods and different environments in which to live. Robins, for example, eat at ground level where they forage for insects and worms while many other birds prefer to be off the ground a bit in the midst of a perennials garden where they eat the seeds of the flowers. Some birds, like grosbeaks, prefer the height of shrubs and others still, such as the woodpecker, prefer to be in the canopy of taller trees where their able to find insects in the tree’s bark.

Plants, while providing food, also supply birds with shelter. Evergreens and other dense shrubs provide nesting areas and protection from cold winter winds and create shade in the heat of the summer. While it may be impossible to incorporate all these habitats into your garden, plan at least a couple. The more habitats you can provide the more birds will flock to your garden.

Along with food, birds require water for both drinking and bathing. If there aren’t any natural water sources near your garden, be sure to place a birdbath or water dish in the area. Keep the water fresh by filling it daily. In the winter when the water freezes knock out the ice and replace with fresh water. Most home and garden stores that stock birdbaths sell small water heaters which will prevent freezing. If you are considering using one of these consult an electrician to help with the installation. If their aren’t any natural water systems in your area, consider planning a water garden, just remember bird prefer shallow water to deep water. Waterfalls and bubbling fountains will attract a number of birds since most species are drawn to the sound of running water.

If you’re contemplating using a bird feeder, maintain it and be sure to keep it stocked as birds often come to depend on these feeders, especially during the lean, harsh months of winter. Since birds are attracted to a variety of different foods, supply them with seeds, berries, fats, breads and nuts. Avoid salty foods. Using a birdhouse for your seed provides shelter as well as a place for food.

Creating a garden which attracts birds has positive effect on the environment; you’re providing a new habitat for birds and well as beneficial insects and other wildlife. While birds will thrive and will benefit the most from your efforts, you’re also providing years of enjoyment for both yourself and visitors to your garden.

T Hallinan is a landscape designer and builder in Massachusetts. Visit his garden resource website http://www.gardenlistings.com for all kind of helpful information. For more garden guides visit http://www.gardenlistings.com/resources.htm

Here are a few tips to keep your garden and a few specific problems from getting away from you during the month of August gardening. Your lawn, again usually three things or any combination of them may be the culprit(s) for making your lawn or patches of your lawn turn brown.

Check water first. It may be that your sprinkler is just not applying enough water to certain areas of your lawn. Remember if you can see your footprints in the lawn after you walk on it then it is time to get water on it asap. If the patchy brown areas of your lawn feel slightly warmer than the green areas of your lawn it usually means that particular area is not receiving enough moisture. It is best to core holes in this area, which will help deliver water right to the roots. The second item you may want to check will be for grubs.

There will be no mistaking these creatures. They are usually about the size of your thumb, creamy white with a brown head. They will feed on the grass roots to store up for winter and hibernate and emerge next year as adults.

These adults are the May and June beetles your see flying around at dusk in early summer. There are granular and liquid insecticides as well a natural beneficial nematodes to help control these critters.

The third item to check for will be a fungus. If you look closely at the blades of grass that are just around the edge of a dry patch you may notice lines or markings on each individual blade(s) of grass. If you have already checked for water or grubworms and are sure these two are not the problems this could be whats making your lawn turn brown.

There are also granualar and liquid fungicides available to help with this situation.

If you have any flowering trees or shrubs such as roses, crape myrtle, vitex, bird of paradise, oleander, among others it is very important to remove the spent blossoms as they appear. This action will help keep your flowering plants blooming up until frost. If this is not done the plants will spend a lot of energy into forming seeds at the expense of new blossoms.

Remember this usuallly works on just about any flowering plant. If your plants are looking a little pale in color you may want to incorporate some iron into your soil. Plants and lawns can lose some of their deep green color this time of year due to so much watering.

The soil may get leached out of it’s nutrients by August so it is important to replace these minerals with chelated iron or Ironite. This not only puts a deep green back into the foliage but also makes flowers more vibrant.

If it has been more thant 5 to 6 weeks since you last fertilized your lawn then it is time. For this area a 16-8-8 fertilizer with iron, sulphur and zinc is recommended. This may be used on a fescue, rye or bermuda lawn, as well as trees and shrubs.

If you have any questions concerning August Garden Tips please email us at:manager@guzmansgreenhouse.com

Here are a few tips to keep your garden and a few specific problems from getting away from you during the month of August gardening. Your lawn, again usually three things or any combination of them may be the culprit(s) for making your lawn or patches of your lawn turn brown.

Check water first. It may be that your sprinkler is just not applying enough water to certain areas of your lawn. Remember if you can see your footprints in the lawn after you walk on it then it is time to get water on it asap. If the patchy brown areas of your lawn feel slightly warmer than the green areas of your lawn it usually means that particular area is not receiving enough moisture. It is best to core holes in this area, which will help deliver water right to the roots. The second item you may want to check will be for grubs.

There will be no mistaking these creatures. They are usually about the size of your thumb, creamy white with a brown head. They will feed on the grass roots to store up for winter and hibernate and emerge next year as adults.

These adults are the May and June beetles your see flying around at dusk in early summer. There are granular and liquid insecticides as well a natural beneficial nematodes to help control these critters.

The third item to check for will be a fungus. If you look closely at the blades of grass that are just around the edge of a dry patch you may notice lines or markings on each individual blade(s) of grass. If you have already checked for water or grubworms and are sure these two are not the problems this could be whats making your lawn turn brown.

There are also granualar and liquid fungicides available to help with this situation.

If you have any flowering trees or shrubs such as roses, crape myrtle, vitex, bird of paradise, oleander, among others it is very important to remove the spent blossoms as they appear. This action will help keep your flowering plants blooming up until frost. If this is not done the plants will spend a lot of energy into forming seeds at the expense of new blossoms.

Remember this usuallly works on just about any flowering plant. If your plants are looking a little pale in color you may want to incorporate some iron into your soil. Plants and lawns can lose some of their deep green color this time of year due to so much watering.

The soil may get leached out of it’s nutrients by August so it is important to replace these minerals with chelated iron or Ironite. This not only puts a deep green back into the foliage but also makes flowers more vibrant.

If it has been more thant 5 to 6 weeks since you last fertilized your lawn then it is time. For this area a 16-8-8 fertilizer with iron, sulphur and zinc is recommended. This may be used on a fescue, rye or bermuda lawn, as well as trees and shrubs.

If you have any questions concerning August Garden Tips please send us an email to: manager@guzmansgreenhouse.com

This article Dog Days of Summer is free to use as long as the following is attached: – Author Paul Guzman Website: http://guzmansgreenhouse.com email: manager@guzmansgreenhouse.com

Many perennials, annuals and even flowering shrubs not only make great garden plants but wonderful cut flowers as well. Shrubs such as hydrangea, lilac, viburnum, witchhazel and forsythia work well as cut flowers. Generally, however, shrubs dont last as long as perennials or annuals. To make flowering shrubs last as long as possible as cut flowers, crush the ends of the stems to increase the amount of water the plant will intake.

Creating a cut flower gardens relies on choosing the appropriate plants. In the perennial border as short list of suitable cut flowers includes; astilbe, balloon flower, beebalm, chrysanthemum, coneflower, coreopsis, daffodil, delphinium, foxglove, daisy, golden thistle, iris, liatris, lily, lupine, lobelia, monkshood, peony, phlox, pinks, rose, sedum and yarrow. Most of these need the general care that any perennial flower would.

Annuals, whether planted in their own bed or mixed among other flowers in the perennial garden, are a great cut flower. Cutting them only encourages more flowers. Annuals which are recommended as cut flowers include; ageratum, aster, calendula, cleome, cosmos, dahlia, dianthus, gladiolus, gypsophila, larkspur, marigold, salvia, snapdragon and zinnia.

Be sure to plant a few shrubs or perennials for foliage and greenery which can be added to your cut flower arrangements. Arbovitae, andromeda, ferns, holly, iris, juniper and mountain laurel all make excellent additions to flower arrangements.

Cut flowers, like all plants, grow in stages. Flowers start as unopened buds, expand to fully-open flowers and then begin to decline. Avoid using fully-open perennial blooms for instant color in your arrangement; use only those flowers that are just beginning to open or to show color. These will last much longer as a cut flower. Perennial flowers should be cut just as they are opening and beginning to show color. The opposite is true of annuals; they should be fully open when cut. Roses should have buds that are slightly open and firm.

Harvest your cut flowers during the cooler parts of the day; evening is fine, as is early morning. In the afternoon sun, flowers can wilt quickly. Be sure to take along a bucket of water to put them in as you cut. Select only the healthiest flowers available.

After harvesting your cut flowers, place them out of the sun in a cool spot for a few hours in a container of warm water with floral preservative. Remove any foliage from the lower half of the stem that will be below water level. Using a sharp knife, recut the stems on an angle, removing about half an inch of stem. Warm water will increase water uptake and floral preservative will help them last longer. Also, be sure to recut the stems frequently and remove blooms as they fade.

Cut flowers have a limited life but with proper care and handling you can increase their longevity and your enjoyment.

T Hallinan is a landscape designer and builder in Massachusetts. Visit his garden resource website http://www.gardenlistings.com for all kind of helpful information. For more garden guides visit http://www.gardenlistings.com/resources.htm