For the Birds

I am always adjusting things in my garden. Recently I decided to move the cabin style birdhouse in the front garden to make way for a new birdbath. I had not seen any birds around it, so I was confident it was empty. It is on a freestanding cast iron stand (originally in my dad's workshop with a piece of equipment bolted to it). It was way too heavy for me to pick up, but I was able to move it by 'walking' it, tilting it this way and that and swinging it forward. I moved it about fifteen feet and decided the new location was perfect.I noticed some mockingbirds in a nearby Japanese maple but thought nothing of it.

Well, the next day Lou heard chirps coming from the house! And, yes, the parents are the mockingbirds, who must have watched most nervously as I turned their formerly stable abode into a mobile home! I can imagine what the babies must have thought: Earthquake! Tornado! Or something like that.

Fortunately, no harm seems to have been done, and the mockingbirds continue to care for the babies. In fact, the mockingbirds love the new birdbath, so the neighborhood improvement project was well received despite the forced relocation.

I have an assortment of birdhouses in my garden. I have featured most of them in previous posts, but I thought it would be good to show them all together as a collection.

The following two bluebird houses are both occupied by bluebirds, despite that they are only about twenty feet apart. I have read that bluebird houses should be at least 100 yards apart.

Here are more birdhouses in my garden:

For those wanting some great ideas, Aldridge Gardens in Hoover has a fabulous collection of birdhouses. It was fun to examine their charming details as I walked though the gardens on a recent visit. The following rustic birdhouses are located near the entrance to the Gardens:For those unfamiliar with Southeast USA geography, the birdhouse in the lower left photo is shaped like my home state of Alabama.

Some more rustic birdhouses with interesting details:

I love the rustic birdhouses, but I also love these colorful houses, located near the main house at Aldridge Gardens:

I hope the birds are welcome in your own garden. If so, they will bring you nothing but joy.

The June Woodlands

When I woke up this morning Lou was already outside, watering plants. I walked out to greet him, and the air was refreshingly cool! But now the temperature is headed back into the 90s. The hot weather makes for thirsty plants, as well as people.

I am grateful for my big shade trees. The June woodlands are more temperate than sunnier areas, but the cool colors and shadows can be deceptive when the humidity and temperatures are both approaching 100! I shouldn't complain. In some parts of the country people pay a lot of money to put saunas into their homes. Here, we have it for free, all summer long. 

The rain we had last weekend was a refreshing drink to the garden, and I was out taking photos of the Woodland Garden soon afterwards:

Here are a couple of shots of a wilder part of the Woodland Garden:

There are few flowers blooming this time of year in the woodlands, but the gardenia in the top photo below makes up for it. The heady fragrance of this shrub permeates the nearby gardens. Below the gardenia picture are hydrangea 'Lady in Red' and a calla lily.

I planted several 'Snowflake' hydrangeas in the Woodland Garden last fall, and they also are blooming now. Below one can compare the ruffled blooms of 'Snowflake' with the single florets of the traditional oakleaf hydrangea shown in the lower right photo.

I couldn't write about the woodlands without a few shots of some favorite foliage:Top: A broken heart! (a fallen redbud leaf) Middle: Fothergilla gardenii; Holly fern. Lower: I may move this houttuynia. It is a ground cover with an aggressive reputation but has languished in the dry shade of its current location; a species rhododendron.

I was delighted to find a mockingbird nest. Cleverly disguised in a twiggy tree, Mama was sitting patiently on her eggs, but what endeared me was Papa, who was working hard, bringing treats to his mate!

Finally, here is a framed view of the blue bridge. The bridge adds a fresh touch, even when the temps are soaring!

Happy Summer!