Designing a hummingbird garden really isn’t rocket science. But over the years, my gardens have evolved as I’ve learned how to draw in more regular patrons to the buffet I set out for our local hummingbirds. I’ve come to recognize some critical components that every hummingbird garden should include to create a space attractive to both hummingbirds and humans.
…Tips on Designing an Attractive Hummingbird GardenRead More »
My sons and I have spent the last several summers raising Monarch butterflies. The catalyst was a sad experience we had back in October of 2016. Of course, we had heard about the plight of Monarchs and their population decline years earlier, so we were sure to allow some milkweed to grow in our garden each year, but we had never spotted any takers on it. Then, finally, one mid-summer day in 2016 we found a young caterpillar munching away on a milkweed. Boy, were we excited! We watched it for a day or two, and then suddenly it was gone. Hopefully it just crawled off to another plant. At that point we started inspecting our plants regularly, hoping to find another caterpillar.
…Does Raising Monarch Butterflies Help or Hurt the Species?Read More »
One of my favorite and most selfish reasons for attracting wildlife to my yard is because during the winters, when my plants are dormant or have died back, and I am going into gardening withdrawal, I still enjoy my yard and because I have plenty of entertainment just outside my window! My winter visitors are often quite beautiful, but can also be pretty amusing! One of my yard mates that is almost always around is the Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay – also known as the Western Scrub-Jay. They are medium sized birds with blue heads, wings and tails, and gray bellies. Like Blue Jays, these birds are perfectly comfortable hanging out in back yards, dining at bird feeders and drinking from bird baths. They are common on the west side of metro Denver and along the foothills, and are very easy to attract to yards in these areas.
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