Ideas For Your Backyard

I like to watch wildlife.  It can be a little tricky though.  You need to blend in so as not to startle them off.

Laying in a hammock that blends with nature has been a perfect remedy.

Brrr!! It sure has been cold.  With the nation under an artic cold front and an extradinary amount of snow fall our little feathered friends are sure having trouble finding food and a spot to rest out of the cold.

I have placed several birdhouses and feeders around to help them out.

 Nature  provides some of the most dramatic examples of rising and falling water. The Old Faithful geyser in Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park shoots huge columns of hot spring water and steam skyward and periodic eruptions occur almost hourly.  Then there is the beauty and  powerful falls at Niagara Falls. This is  one of the most celebrated natural landmarks in North America. None of the waterfalls are exactly the same since moving water produces an almost endless range of changing forms and sounds. 

The  peace and visual joy of the flowing water and sounds seems to touch us deeply.  We are mesmerized by these sights and sounds. 

Part 4 of a 4 part series 

A landlord probably cannot have too many martin houses, as most places will support several hundred breeding pairs per square mile.  And, while Purple Martins live on flying insects, there is no scientific data to show that mosquitoes form a significant portion of this diet.

A colony of Purple Martins consists merely of more than one breeding pair in a given house.  They are not necessarily related to each other.

The birdhouses should not be opened up until about four weeks after the first martins are scheduled to arrive in the area.  The first to arrive, commonly called scouts, are not really scouts, but are merely the oldest martins. Older martins cannot be attracted to new locations, because they have high loyalty to the exact home where they bred in the past.  Usually only the previous year’s fledglings can be attracted to unestablished sites, and they begin returning to an area about 4 to 5 weeks after the scouts. 

Bushes and shrubs growing beneath the martin house should be removed, as this attracts predators such as cats, and martins will avoid the house.  Similarly, they will avoid houses which can be reached by squirrels, even by a wire.

part 2 of a  part series

If any other species of bird nests in the martin house before the martins arrive, the house will not attract martins. This may involve frequent, even daily, lowering of the house to evict unwanted tenants, or plugging the entrance holes until the martins arrive. 

The houses which are most successful in attracting martins are of a light color. This helps to keep the house cool in the summer’s heat and highlights the dark entrance holes. Ventilation holes also keep the birds from perishing on hot days. 

part 1 of a 4 part series

To attract Purple Martins to a birdhouse, the house should be placed in an open space, at least 40 to 60 feet from any trees taller than it is, preferably within a few hundred feet of human habitation. The birds need a wide space to approach the house from at least two sides, and they seem to know that people will protect them from their natural predators. The activity of people does not seem to bother them at all.

The house should be mounted 10 to 20 feet off the ground, preferably on a telescoping pole so that it can be lowered for easy cleaning and for checking on the young in the nests. A predator guard on the pole is also highly desirable. The house should not be moved, once martins have taken up residence in it, as they will reject it the following year if it is in a new location. 

Have you ever really thought about water? I mean really thought about it? People are naturally drawn to water. They love the sound of running, cascading water. The aesthetics if you will.

Could it be because water is really important to us, to our livelyhood? Do you recall that water covers two third’s of the earth’s surface and 90% of our body? It is present in our atmosphere and is the force that guides our weather.

Is it any wonder why people gravitate toward water and fountains? It is very powerful.

Many  statues or sculptures serve dual or even triple purposes.   If you are decorating a small backyard, you may want to consider these features.  Fewer objects rather than more will keep the area from looking cluttered and still give you what you are looking for.

There are so many different sizes, shapes, materials,  and colors of flower pots to help you decorate indoors and out.  In fact many people that live in colder climates actually take their house planters outside in the warmer weather.

When choosing a flower pot for your plant, there are a couple of things to consider besides how it will look with your decor.  Be sure your pot is not too large for your plant. It is a common mistake people make thinking their plant will grow into a larger pot.  This is actually not a good idea.  Also be sure there is a drainage hole in the bottom of the pot so the roots don’t stay wet and rot.