American Goldfinches are an oddity amongst North American songbirds. Even their close cousins – the Lesser Goldfinches – do not share this trait. American Goldfinches only begin nesting at the end of July. Here it is – almost mid-August – and they are in the midst of their first nest of the season. All the […]
This yucca is native to eastern and southeastern U.S. There are species of yucca that form trunks, this species does not – it is trunkless. At ground level, the spikes/blades of leaves grow up and out from a short stem that is generally not visible. This plant is fan-shaped. To those of you who are […]
Two days ago, our heat index hit 115°F. Miserable does not even begin to describe how awful it was outside. When it is that hot and humid, birds become very quiet. They sit in shady places – where they might catch a breeze or two – and occasionally pant. Here are photos of birds who […]
This is an interesting native plant for gardeners in that it allows you to choose just how much of a gardener you want to be – how much attention do you want to pay to it throughout the gardening season. Very little or much attention will not harm this plant, but it will change how […]
First of all, what are raptors? The actual word – raptor – comes from the Latin word ‘rapere’ which means to seize, take by force, or plunder. Groups of birds that are called raptors include eagles, hawks, falcons, kites, ospreys, harriers, vultures, and owls. Most of these birds share the predatory behavior of hunting, capturing, […]
I have always known this plant by the common name of Mexican Hat. It got this name from the fact it is native to our southwest states and northern Mexico, and the flowers resemble sombreros. Any of you who have ever been in the desert know the wide brims of sombreros keep the skin of […]
I have only ever heard the term ‘rogue male’ used in terms of raptors – particularly with Bald Eagles, and Ospreys. The definition from the online Collins Dictionary (British) is any solitary male. Other references add to this simple definition: A solitary male who is acting in an unusual way that is different from the […]
Light: Part sun to shade. Will grow in full sun if it is watered deeply and regularly. However, I recommend part shade – about 4-6 hours dappled sun each day for the best growth. Soil and water: Moist, well-drained soil. This shrub does not seem to be too picky about the soil. When I read […]
My husband Cleon and I set aside each Monday morning for an hour drive to Springfield – a city area of about 125,000 people and the capital of Illinois. Lots of big stores. And home to Lulu’s – our favorite diner. We always begin our morning of errands with a great breakfast, a whole lot […]
Green and Gold is one of my favorite groundcovers and it is a groundcover most people have never heard of. One of its best features is that it is not invasive like so many groundcovers are. It is native in North America and its range extends from Pennsylvania south to Florida, then throughout the south […]