Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Jun 21, 2009 12:54:48 GMT -5
Howdy folks, Well, finally my new butterfly/hummingbird garden is in full bloom. We don't have much in the way of soil here so I took rocks from a big rock wall I didn't want and restacked them to bed up a planting area. Now the only problems I have are skunks and dillos diggin everything up almost every night and tons of caterpillars, walking sticks and grasshoppers eating my plants as fast as they grow. Though actually, the plants I planted are for caterpillar food, I do wish they'd give the plants a chance to grow a bit before they munch them all down *L*. This is only three of the several beds. Thanks for looking.....Mel Mainly Cosmos, Indian Blanket Daisies, Blue Spires, Bettany, Bitterweed, Mexican Mint etc. Mainly Passionflowers, sunflowers, Purple Coneflower, Flame Acanthus, Mist Flower, sages and Spicebush:
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SteveHolmes
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2009
Posts: 1,900
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Post by SteveHolmes on Jun 21, 2009 13:07:03 GMT -5
Mel, You sure know how to Brighten that landscape! Colors are Beautiful. Nice work on the flower beds. Steve
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Post by MrP on Jun 21, 2009 13:27:56 GMT -5
Neat.........MrP
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Post by sitnwrap on Jun 21, 2009 22:39:39 GMT -5
That looks like it was a lot of work but it is so beautiful. Have the hummingbirds shown up to feast yet?
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Post by NatureNut on Jun 21, 2009 22:45:49 GMT -5
Those babies will be spreading out alright. I've got purple coneflower taking over here. Of course, we don't have armadillos working against us here, LOL. Did you have any manure laying around to put in those gardens? ;D Jo
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Post by akansan on Jun 22, 2009 7:05:30 GMT -5
I LOVE your garden. Those all look terrific!
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10thumbs
spending too much on rocks
I want to be reincarnated as a dog.
Member since March 2009
Posts: 480
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Post by 10thumbs on Jun 22, 2009 7:44:20 GMT -5
Hopefully you'll have some of these guys showing up soon! I took these pictures last summer by sitting very still. I also got some video of a couple males fighting over the feeder. Fun!
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Post by NatureNut on Jun 22, 2009 8:08:46 GMT -5
10 T, those pics are not easy to get! Those little guys don't stay still for more than a split second, and timing the pic can be real tricky. Great pics! Jo
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Jun 22, 2009 9:01:01 GMT -5
Sitnwrap: Yep, lots of Black Chinned Hummers showed up as soon as the sages started blooming.
Jo: Yep, unfortunately I overfertilized a bit with horse manure and had kind of a hard time getting the beds started. That's why the Indian Blankets are so dominant, I guess. Many of the smaller plant types got all burnt up by the horse poop.
10 thumbs: Nice pics! Those are nto all that easy to get....Mel
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10thumbs
spending too much on rocks
I want to be reincarnated as a dog.
Member since March 2009
Posts: 480
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Post by 10thumbs on Jun 22, 2009 12:27:45 GMT -5
You're lucky to get a variety down there Mel. In the all the northeast we only have one species: Ruby-Throated. The black-throated pic is a juvenile male; his throat will turn red later in life. The white-throated pic is a female.
They hit the feeder at least once every fifteen minutes and I just scooted a chair closer and closer every few minutes until I was only about six feet away. The coolest part is when they would fly around and cautiously inspect me while I held statue still. It sounded like a june bug was going to land in my hair. You have to try it.
The best part of our butterfly garden IMO is when it is teaming with ravenous praying mantises. It's like a live documentary on the circle of life.
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Post by tkrueger3 on Jun 22, 2009 19:43:19 GMT -5
;D Gosh, Mel, don't you consider caleche to be "soil"?? Lots of stuff will grow in it - prickly pear, cedar, huisache, ....... Most of the stuff in this part of the world either sticks, stings, or stinks! You done good with those gardens! I'm envious. Tom
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Jun 22, 2009 20:18:25 GMT -5
*LOL* Good one Tom! Lets put it this way. I have to set my lawnmower blade 3" high so I don't break it off on the flint nodules and limestone ledges sticking up through the grass. And, you're right, I've had three bark scorpions cruise by my Barker lounger in the last four days, I have to use chigger spray by the gallons and every plant on the ranch except the cedar seems to have points *L*......Mel
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chinook203
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since February 2006
Posts: 849
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Post by chinook203 on Jun 22, 2009 22:03:29 GMT -5
GORGEOUS flowerbeds and love the hummingbird photos. Our hbirds are missing. We had some bad storms a few weeks ago and honestly have seen maybe 2 since then, my mom gets 100s and she isn't seeing any. You need to come work on my beds, they are missing me and showing it!
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Post by Tonyterner on Jun 24, 2009 10:20:19 GMT -5
Well at least you don't have a problem with deer eating them. Pretty pics Mel.
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