
Daniel asks…
how do you find bee hummingbirds?
where do you find beehumming birds i need to know and how do you attract them too.

admin answers:
Bee Hummingbirds are the smallest hummingbirds in the world (1.8 grams). They are endemic to Isles of Pines and Cuba so if you live on one of these islands I would suggest putting up hummingbird feeders (http://www.yourbirdoasis.com/aspects143.html). They nest in woodlands, gardens, and shrubs so you could probably attract nesting pairs with the appropriate habitat! Another cool fact is that they beat their wings 80 times per second!!!

Jenny asks…
Landscaping with perennials in a hardiness zone 4?
Here’s a challenge for the green thumbs out there.
I’d like to create a perrenial garden, 50 feet long, 10 feet deep, on a gentle curving pattern, to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. The site is protected from northern winds and has full morning and southern sun during the summer.
I’m going to move onto a cleared 200′X200′ wooded plot with very rich soil and would like to eventually build a more complex garden from this starting point.
Which of you creative gardeners have the talent to show me what you can create?
I plan to put this little plot in front of a pergola which will be attached to a 3 season room attached to a mobile home, facing directly south.

admin answers:
Here’s a list of Perennials with their zones:
http://www.thearb.org/perennials%20(a-j).htm
Here’s some you might like for your zone:
Artemisia vulgaris ‘Oriental Limelight’
Dianthus
Eupatorium rugosum ‘Chocolate’
(perennial to 4 feet) Zone 4. Chocolate-brown leaves with purple stems and white flowers in late summer.
Helianthus ×multiflorus ‘Capenoch Star’
(perennial to 5 feet) Zone 4. Perennial sunflower with yellow flowers with wide centers similar to the annual sunflower.
Lysimachia ciliata ‘Firecracker’
(perennial to 3 feet) Zone 3. Native perennial with bronze/purple foliage and yellow flowers in the spring.
Persicaria microcephela ‘Red Dragon’
(perennial to 2 feet) Zone 4. Lance-shaped leaves with a burgandy center. Small white flowers on terminal panicles in summer
Phlox paniculata ‘Norah Leigh’
(perennial to 2 feet) Zone 4. Light pink flowers on green and creamy white foliage. Blooms in July-August.
Http://www.griffithpropagationnursery.com/perennials.html
Try hardy Roses. “Knock Out” Roses will bloom all summer & are almost carefree. I love them!
Http://www.gardenmob.com/blog1/2007/06/01/pink-knockout-roses/
The Dayliliy is another favorite carefree & colorful “everbloomers” … That bloom all summer until frost… Stella D’ Oro, Happy Returns, Pardon Me, & Rosy Returns (the first PINK everblooming Daylily)
Here’s a site you might enjoy:
http://www.gardenmob.com/
Good luck! Hope this helps.

Laura asks…
Hummingbird feeders?
Which is better for attracting hummingbirds…the type that allows them to feed out of the bottom or the type where they feed from a small hole and have a place to rest?

admin answers:
If you buy the ones where they can rest, you can view them better. You can see the colors of their wings. We used to put our fingers over the plastic perches and they would land on our fingers.
I don’t really think there is a better way in terms of health of the bird. Mostly, it is just viewing preferences.
(Remember not to add food coloring to the syrup, though. The design of the feeder is attractive to the birds enough!)
Hope this helps you decide.

Lizzie asks…
What say to “When My Name Was Victoria” poem?
Put a woods’ violet gently
In my hair…
Outside, on the veranda
Where we sat
For hours…
Gazing at each other.
Remember to tell me to
Plant more climbing
Roses…
Around the front porch,
To attract delicate
Hummingbirds…
So swiftly away
Again.
Don’t forget to tell me
Of the ivy and ferns…
Everything in
The parlor, and
Kitchen.
Portraits…
Everything I have done
Before…
Before the dream
Ended.
Reincarnation/dream sequence here….

admin answers:
A nice dream. An ancestor visiting, reminding, telling the dreamer? The word portraits led me there. Liked the continuation of the maintaining of the porch, etc.

Donna asks…
Searching for certain plants?
I live in NY and would like to know of plants that attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
I also would like to find plants that detract mosquitoes and flies, and is it ok to plant them together with the plants listed above.
Thanks in advance ~

admin answers:
Don’t forget it is important to plant plants that are the host plants for the butterflies too. Not just the plants they use for nectar.
It can be a bit overwhelming and additive, so I pick 4 plants,1 bush and one tree a year to add to my collection.
Http://www.thebutterflysite.com/create-butterfly-garden.shtml
Also I have found that any of the flowers that hummingbirds are attracted to the butterflies are also attracted to.
Coast Azalea (Rhododendron atlanticum) – perennial
Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia) – perennial
Coral Bean (Erythrina herbacea) – perennial
Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) – perennial
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) – perennial
Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans) – perennial
Cross Vine (Anisostichus capreolata) – perennial
Spotted Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) – annual
Other plants:
Hummingbird Bush (Hamelia patens) – perennial
Hummingbird Plant (Dicliptera suberecta) – perennial
Firespike (Odontonema strictum) – tender perennial
Desert Honeysuckle (Anisicanthus wrightii) – perennial
Porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis) – perennial
Red Ruellia (Ruellia elegans) – tender perennial
Firecracker Plant (Russellia equistiformis) – tender perennial
Cigar Plant (Cuphea micropetala) – perennial
Cigarette Plant (Cuphea ignea ‘David Verity’) – perennial
Turk’s Cap (Malvaviscus drummondii) – perennial
Giant Turk’s Cap (Malvaviscus drummondii arboreus) – perennial
Agastache “Tutti fruitti” – tender perennial
Devil’s Tears (Phygelius X rectus) – perennial
Shrimp Plant (Justicia brandegeanna) – perennial
Flowering Maple – (Abutilon pictum) – perennial
Pentas – (Pentas lanceolatas) – annual
Lantana (use taller varieties for hummers) – (Lantana camara) – perennial
Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia sp.) – annual
Cypress Vine (Ipomoea quamoclit) – annual
Cardinal Climber (Ipomoea X multifida) – annual
Red Morning-glory (Ipomoea coccinea) – annual
Abelias (Abelia sp.) – perennial
Camellias (Camellia sasanqua, C. Japonica) – perennial
Silk Tree, Mimosa Tree (Albrizzia julibrisson) – perennial
Butterfly Bush (Buddleja davidii) – perennial
Zinnias – annual
4-o’clocks – perennial
Equally important to attracting hummingbirds are trees and shrubs that provide
cover for perching, nesting sites, and places to forage for insect prey.
Hummingbirds CANNOT live on nectar alone; approximately 50% of the Ruby-
throated Hummingbird diet may be tiny insects. Good cover plants should be as
tall as possible and include:
Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera)
Camellias (Camellia sp.)
Azaleas (Rhododendron sp.)
Hollies (Ilex sp.)
Oaks, esp. Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)
Pines (Pinus sp.)
Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)
Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum)
Hackberry (Celtis laevigatis)
http://www.thegardenhelper.com/Butterflies.htm
Install fly-offensive plants
Citronella is known for its mosquito-deterring properties, but it works somewhat on flies, as well. Other plants that have fly-repelling reputations are false indigo, lavender, elderberry, basil and mint.
Plants to repel mosquitoes
http://www.gomestic.com/Gardening/Five-Plants-That-Repel-Mosquitoes.34525
Powered by Yahoo! Answers



















