Articles
Grow a special garden
Let's learn how to create special gardens to attract birds and butterflies, as well as rock and shade gardens...
- By Richa Pant, Special to Gulf News
- Published: 00:00 February 17, 2007
Let's learn how to create special gardens to attract birds and butterflies, as well as rock and shade gardens...
Rock Gardens
Rock gardens recreate mountain landscapes in a small area. If your property is already sloped with rock formations, it's ideal for a rock garden. Otherwise you can make one yourself with top soil and some rocks. Set the rocks in the lowest, front part of the garden first and work upward. After the rocks are in place, strategically place plants like low-growing perennials, summer-bloomers, herbs and annuals.
Shade Gardens
Lush green shade gardens are attractive, calming spots. Trees, buildings and steep slopes automatically create shaded areas within the landscape. You can diversify your landscape and grow an entirely different range of plants there. Select plants according to how much shade they can tolerate. Use perennials (Primrose, Foamflower, Daylilies), annuals (Coleus, Pansy, and Forget-me-not), and groundcover (Sweet Woodruff, English Ivy, Lilyturf).
Bird Gardens
Feeding birds is a great joy. Initially only a few sparrows may visit for a snack. Then word will get around and they'll return with their friends.
Large trees (Flowering Dogwood and Oak) give shelter to birds. Annuals and perennials (Sunflower, Cosmos, and Aster) produce seeds which are food for birds. Shrubs (Cranberry bush, blueberry, and juniper) keep birds hidden from cats/predators. Grow plants from each group.
A good bird garden has:
An entire habitat for the birds.
A water supply like a birdbath for drinking and bathing.
Both sun and shady areas to perch.
Bird feeders and birdbaths away from places where cats may strike.
No pesticides.
Butterfly Gardens
Butterflies just require an open sunny area, flowers, food for caterpillars, water-spots, rocks and shelter from wind and predators. Avoid pesticides totally. They like Passionflower, Butterfly Lily, Chrysanthemum, Butterfly Bush, Violets, Lilac, Aster, etc. and prefer hedges, small trees, shrubs and walls/fences covered with vines.
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