@NWF Gardening for Pollinators #GardenCuizine #gardenchat

Gardening for Pollinators

private garden #1

Yesterday we had the pleasure of meeting new friends and touring wildlife-friendly, private home gardens in South Jersey, sponsored by Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River. 

Our Cumberland County tour of private wildlife gardens began in the parking lot at the base of the Maurice River Bridge. Tall marsh grasses lined the river. The shining bright sun felt hot. When we arrived, our tour guide, Pat Sutton, was there to greet us.

Being an experienced naturalist and wildlife garden educator, Pat provided the group information on Gardening for Pollinators. She also gave us an informative itinerary with directions and information written by each gardener about their wildlife garden habitats.

Harry and I arrived early, giving us time to meet Pat and browse through a few select gardening books. The eager group of about 25 Master Gardeners and garden enthusiasts carpooled to each garden. First we traveled to Leesburg then on to Port Norris and Bridgeton, ending at a breath-taking riverside garden in Millville, NJ.  

At Janet's garden in Leesburg, hummingbirds and butterflies were everywhere. Surrounding her pool, instead of grass, were garden walks bordered by flowers that included masses of red salvias - more than any of the other gardens we visited. No wonder she gets so many hummingbirds!

Other blooms included: Tropical Milkweed, Agastache, Coral Honeysuckle, Joe Pye weed, Echinacea, Rudbeckia tribola and Verbena bonariensis. In early spring, she scattered 4+ large packets of mixed zinnia seeds that grew into a beautiful patch of colorful flowers that attract many pollinators. 

Along the fence was another butterfly magnet: bright orange Mexican sunflowers (Tithonia rotundifolia) growing over 5-feet tall. An easy-to-grow annual that you can start from seeds as early as February, according to Janet. We only have one Tithonia growing in our garden, thanks to a gardening friend (thanks Linda!!). Seeds can be harvested and saved for next year. 

yum yum milkweed!

In a garden bed near a rain barrel against the house many hungry monarch butterfly caterpillars were devouring the foliage of milkweed, the only plant they can eat. We also let milkweed grow wild in our yard just for monarchs.

We had a hard time pulling ourselves away from every garden, so much so that we ran over our time schedule and missed PEEK Preserve, Natural Lands Trust garden. Seriously, we could have spent an entire day at each location. We visited 6 gardens, all focused on gardening for pollinators and NOT using pesticides.

We've done garden seed swaps in the past, but never a tour of more than one garden at a time. My head is still spinning with all the new garden ideas and contact information! Special thanks to Pat, CU, and all the gardening hosts and hostesses who shared their gardens and expertise with us.  

I'll be making a few continuing blog posts about more NJ wildlife gardens; including, Barn Studio of Art. Check back for added photos and related posts.

Happy Gardening! 
Related Links
How to Create a Hummingbird and Butterfly Garden by Pat Sutton 
Recommended Nectar Plants by Pat Sutton 
Garden for Wildlife

Blog post and photos Copyright (C) Wind. All rights reserved.

@RutgersNJAES @birdsblooms @Garden4Wildlife @pollinators Cumberland County SJ #gardenchat #GardenCuizine

Stay tuned for photos and video featuring wildlife friendly private gardens in Cumberland County. Our tour guide will be NJ native plant expert, naturalist, birder and book author - Pat Sutton. According to Pat's blog, many of the private home gardens were planted with wildlife in mind, designed to attract butterflies, moths, hummingbirds and other birds, as well as insect pollinators. And, to enjoy wholesome foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains we need important pollinators!

Hummingbirds pollinate wildflowers as they move flower to flower. Late August into September is peak hummingbird migration time. We'll be pointing our cameras towards the birds and blooms and promise to zoom in on ruby-throated hummers as they visit their favorite nectar plants.

This South Jersey Cumberland County Wildlife tour was planned for Master Gardeners by Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River (CU). 
Related Links
Pat and Clay Sutton 
Hummingbird Garden Nectar Plants by Patricia Sutton
Rutgers Master Gardeners Program
Photo and blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Just CATching some sun waiting for my first hummingbird! #cats

Some photos are simply too cute not to share! Our sweet cat Snoops looking so serious about sunbathing in the windowsill!

Seriously, cats do best kept indoors if at all possible. They live long happy lives without harming wildlife. No killing birds. No eating poisoned mice or toxic sprayed plants. No parasites in their guts. A win-win for you and your furry friends.
 
Related Links
Spring 2015 Ruby-throated Hummingbird Reports
Photo Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Today in Our Garden * hummingbirds * nectar plants * heirloom tomatoes * flowers * herbs #GardenCuizine

Today In Our Garden
South Jersey
USDA Zone 7a (formerly zone 6b) 

July 27, 2013

This year our gardens are lush and green thanks to the most rain I can ever remember during the summer here in Jersey. The recent break in the heat wave has been wonderful too. Lots of wildlife activity today with birds and small animals seeking shelter, water and food.

It was hard not to notice the many ruby-throated hummingbirds that were zipping around our yard and gardens today - visiting salvias and other blooms rich in nectar. Besides all the blooms, our freshly filled hummingbird feeders were like a hummingbird magnet. I was able to photograph the silhouette of a hummer on a tree branch later in the day that you can see in the above photo collage. Our vegetable garden is bordered with tall, red cannas and chia salvia that invite the speedy little birds to circle the garden every day.

Harry dug up a batch of potatoes the other day as you know from my Potatoes Anna blog post. The Italian basil that was started from seed is about ready to harvest too. So is our blooming oregano. Bronze fennel is also blooming; I plan to let that go and harvest the seeds later. Our vine ripening, organic, tomatoes include Pruden's purple, Goldman's Italian American and French heirloom, Juane Flamme - shown below. 

Hope you're enjoying a summer full of fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers from your garden and/or local farmers' markets. 
Related Links
Hummingbird Pollinators Dave's Garden article by Diana Wind
Find a Farmers' Market 
Blog post and photos Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.

Hummingbirds and beautiful blooms Today in Our Garden #GardenCuizine

 click on the photo to get a full view

Today In Our Garden

South Jersey
USDA Zone 7a (formerly zone 6b)

September 28, 2012

What happened to the cool fall temperatures? Today is hot and humid here in South Jersey. Our backyard gardens continue to produce herbs and vegetables and are still blooming away. Hummingbirds and monarch butterflies are migrating now too.  

As I strolled through the garden pushing my way past the tall chia that is all over the place, I noticed we have so many green tomatoes left on the vines. Birds and butterflies soared overhead. A hummingbird let me take his picture from a distance while he took a rest in between the dahlias before visiting the Lady in Red Salvias.

Photo clockwise from top left to right:

• Lady in Red Salvia (grown from seeds)
• Rosemary R. officinalis 'Arp'
• Plumeria Frangipani (started from a NOLA cutting!)
• hummingbird in front of Jerusalem Artichoke
• Nicotiana

Planting note: it is still not too late to plant fall crop seeds like Arugula and lettuce. I attempted to sow some today, but mosquitoes chased me back into the house.

Happy and Healthy Gardening!
Related Links
Osmarini Rosmarinus officinalis features Rosemary Roasted Potato Fries recipe
Photo collage Copyright (C)2012 Wind. All rights reserved.

Happy #cats +hummingbirds! Harvesting Heirloom Tomatoes for Salsa #GardenCuizine

Today In Our Garden

South Jersey
USDA Zone 7a (formerly zone 6b)

August 17, 2012 

Clockwise from left to right:

• Who said cats and dogs can't be best friends? As you can see, Lucia (a feral cat rescued from farmland in Bridgeton, NJ) is a happy and spoiled kitty! Our cats live indoors so they don't kill the birds, go astray or get killed by cars. Lucy is best friends with Holly, our sweet and very old dog (a rescue from a neighboring town called Mt. Holly). Holly goes out, but can't make it to the garden any more and stays in more than out too. She can't walk without assistance anymore. We haven't splurged for a doggy wheelchair; I'm sure she could probably use one at this point. Lucy is never far from Holly's side.
• Our hummingbird activity continues in full force - the most ever this year! In recent news, hummingbird nectar producing plants are diminishing across their migratory route due to drought-related weather conditions. If you live along their route you could help out by hanging humming bird feeders and growing nectar producing plants.
• Cannas are still blooming around the garden border along with Lady in Red salvias (Salvia coccinea), both easy- to-grow humming bird favorites. We also have potted Hamelia patens hummingbird bush, wild trumpet vines and late blooming hostas (including Krossa Regal) and cleome that attract hummingbirds.
• Thyme is abundant, can take the heat, and is an easy plant to grow cascading out of pots 
• Lycopersicon lycopersicum 'Black Russian' heirloom tomatoes are a strange 2-toned color. At first glance, they look like Cherokee Purple heirlooms. After letting a few burst open on the vines, we learned that Russian Black must be picked while still green on the top before their rosy bottom halves get over-ripe and explode! These will be used in a batch of homemade salsa.

Happy Gardening!

Related Links
Homemade Salsa Carol's Heirloom Collection Blog

Hummingbirds.net 
Hummingbird Pollinators
Tango, the Garden Cat - a feral cat story for adults and children
Photo collage Copyright (C) 2012 Wind. All rights reserved.