How to Make Your Garden a Butterfly & Hummingbird Haven

Hummingbirds are great little birds to watch zip about your yard.  The secret to attracting these little guys to your yard comes down to food.  Not only can you use hummingbird feeders to attract hummingbirds, but what flowers you have in your garden can draw them to your yard, too. 

Hummingbirds look for certain qualities in flowers.  While they are attracted to blooms of all colors, they particularly like red flowers.  They also like flowers that have a tubular shape that they can stick their nose into.  Any sweet smelling flower will also attract them.  It’s best to plant flowers in your garden that bloom at different times throughout the season, to continually provide food for the little hummers.

Here are some popular flowers amongst hummingbirds:

1. Bee balm (Monarda): This perennial is a great one for our area and it not only attracts hummingbirds, but butterflies, too. The plant has a minty, citrus-scent scent that both you and the hummingbirds can enjoy. It has clusters of tubular flowers that are found in red, violet, purple, pink and white that bloom all summer.  It is a taller perennial that grows to be about 3 to 4 feet wide. It needs full sun but will tolerate some afternoon shade. Space bee balm plants about 18 inches apart. Provide ample water and they'll quickly spread and fill in until they look like one large mass of blooms. To limit their invasive quality, you can plant them in a sunken container or in an area you don’t have to mow or maintain.

2. Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis): This perennial has scarlet red blooms that the hummingbirds like and that really pop in your garden. It blooms throughout the summer and is another taller perennial that can grow up to four feet high. Plant in part shade to full sun in moist soil where they will get at least a half a day of sun.

3. Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans): This is a favorite of hummingbirds. Plant this vine in full sun and be sure to provide a climbing support for it that is strong enough to handle it, such as a fence or trellis.  It has orange-red blooms all summer and can climb up to 40 feet tall with little to no fertilizer.

4. Salvia (Salvia splendens): Salvia is a great flower for hummingbirds because it blooms throughout the summer. There are a lot of varieties to plant, both annual and perennial, but the most popular among hummingbirds are annuals like black and blue salvia and Lady in Red. These bloom from late spring all the way through the autumn and grow anywhere from 8 to 30 inches high depending on the variety.  They all have conical clusters of tubular flowers that come in a variety of colors like red, purple and deep blue. Be sure to pinch the tops of the salvia back once they’re done blooming to encourage branching and more blooms. 

5. Fuchsia: These flowers are a great in both hanging baskets and potted containers. Every variety seems to be popular among hummingbirds.  They have beautiful blooms that come in a variety of colors including purple, white, pink, red and coral.  They are also great flowers for shady spots in your yard. And being one of the few flowers that blooms from late spring to first frost in part to full shade.  

6. Columbine (Aquilegia): These hardy perennials have a number of varieties, some which are native to this area.  Columbine is an easy plant to grow that will catch the attention of hummingbirds in your garden.  These perennials bloom from late spring to early summer and come in a variety of colors, including yellow, red, pink, blue, purple, and white, single or bicolored. Depending on the variety, they can be planted in the shade or full sun. Columbine can be grown from seed in early spring, and while it reseeds easily, the offspring plants may produce less showy flowers.

7. Hollyhock (Alcea rosea): These flowering giants add a lot of height and color to your garden.  They are a biennial, meaning they do not bloom their first year planted. It has funnel-shaped or double blooms in numerous bright and pastel hues including red, pink, yellow, white, and purple. They bloom early to midsummer in full sun. Plant seeds in midsummer for blooms the following year. 

8. Flowering tobacco (Nicotiana): This flower is a multi-tasker.  Not only does it attract butterflies and hummingbirds, but they’re poisonous to rabbits so they’ll leave them alone.  This relative of the tobacco plant is also known as nicotiana. They come in a variety of colors, including white, red, pink, lavender, green, and yellow.  It is an annual in our zone and will bloom from summer to first frost. They should be planted in partial shade to full sun and prefer rich, moist soil that's well-draining.

9. Honeysuckle trumpet (Lonicera sempervirens): Its elegant blooms attract gardeners and hummingbirds alike.  Being a vine, it also needs to have something to climb on, so be sure to give this plant something to latch onto. It will climb your trellis and bloom all summer long with beautiful blooms that are deep red with yellow throats. Plant it in partial to full sun.

10. Red-hot poker (Kniphofia): This bright flower is also known as torch lily. All birds love this beautiful flower, which alternates in color from red, orange, yellow, white, or greenish white or bicolored. With its unique bloom shape and bright color, it will steal the show. It blooms from late spring to autumn and grows to be two to six feet high.  These prefer sandy soil and be sure to mulch plants for first winter.

Butterflies

There are a few keys to attracting butterflies to your yard.  Butterflies are attracted to broad sunlit areas as they enjoy basking in the sun while feeding. Placing boulders or flat cut‐stone in sunlit areas provide good resting places for these little beauties. A stone wall offers natural shelter from the weather. Butterflies also need shelter from wind and weather which can easily be provided with taller shrubs and trees.

As for plants, most butterflies are attracted to colors in shades of pink, red purple, yellow, and orange.

Choose flower types that produce large flat flower heads, or plants that make clusters of smaller bell shaped or tube shaped flowers. 

The following are the different types of annuals and perennials that attract butterflies:

Perennials: Achillea (Yarrow) ● Allium● Aster● Coreopsis ● Delphinium ● Echinacea(Coneflower) Geranium ● Daylily ●Shasta Daisy ● Liatris ● Monarda (Bee Balm) ●Nepeta (Catmint) ● Rudbeckia (Black Eyed Susan) ● Salvia ● Sedum 

Annuals: Ageratum ●Snapdragon ● Dahlia ● Impatiens ● Marigold ● Nasturtium ● Verbena● Violas ● Zinnias

 

Memorial Day

Yes! We are open on Memorial Day from 8:00am-5:00pm.  

We hope you all enjoy the day and remember those who are protect this great nation.

Rabbit Troubles

It’s always frustrating to come out and enjoy your garden and all the hard work you put in, only to find that rabbits have come through and eaten all your beautiful flowers. There are many ways of dealing with these little guys and here is a few:

1. Alter the habitat.  Eliminate any brush piles, stone piles and weed patches near plantings, as well as establish planting away from the edge of thickets and woods.  These areas are where rabbits are known to be. They are known to eat a variety of plants when under environmental pressure, so if your flowers are nearby, they may get eaten.

2. Exclude the rabbits.  The only consistently effective control measure available is chicken wire.  Wire of one inch or smaller may be used around the perimeter of your garden or around individual plants.  Such material Such material should be at least two feet in height and buried into the ground about three inches.

3. Repel the rabbits. While repellents so not eliminate rabbit problems, they do help in deterring them from your plants. Here are a few products we recommend at Vern Goers Greenhouse. Using a combination of granular and liquid products tends to be most effective:

a. Liquid Applications: Liquid Fence,  Messina Wildlife’s Animal Stopper, Bonide’s Repels All, Hot Pepper           Wax, Coyote or Fox Urine

b. Granular Product: Bonide’s Repels All or Granulated Coyote or Fox Urine,

4. Choose plants less susceptible to rabbit damage.  There are virtually no plants that are guaranteed against rabbits, but here is a list of plants that are poisonous to rabbits, as well as some they usually avoid.

 

Perennials Poisonous to Rabbits:Anemone ● Dicentra (Bleeding Heart) ● Primula ● Butterfly Weed (Asclepias) Foxglove (Digitalis) ● Sage ● Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) Hyacinth ● Sorrel ● Christmas Rose (Helleborus) ● Iris ●  ChrysanthemumSweet Pea (Lathyrus) ● Lily of the Valley ● Tiger Lily (Lilium tigrinum)Clematis ● Oriental Poppy ● Trumpet Vine (Campsis) ● Columbine (Aquilegia)Oriental Poppy ● Virginia Creeper ● Daffodil (Narcissus) ● Oxalis ● Wisteria

Perennials Seldom Damaged by RabbitsAster ● Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis) ● Pachysandra● Yarrow  Astilbe ● Hollyhock (Alcea) ● Creeping Phlox  Bell Flowers (Campanula) ● Indigo, false (Baptista) Russian Sage (Perovskia) ● Daylily (Hemerocallis) ● Lavender  Salvia ● Ferns (Except Maiden Hair) ● Nepeta (Catmint) ● Sedum

Annuals Poisonous to Rabbits: Agapanthus ● Cyclamen ● Lantana ● Schefflera ● Begonia ● DieffenbachiaMorning Glory ● Snapdragon ● Caladium ● Dracena (Spike) ● Nicotiana Peace Lily ● Calla Lily ● Elephant’s Ear (Colocasia) ● Oleander ● Tomato Castor Bean ● Four O’Clocks (Mirablis) ● Philodendron ● CrotonDusty Miller ● Rosemary

Annuals Seldom Damaged by RabbitsMarigolds ● Heliotrope ● Vinca Periwinkle ●Ageratum

Herb Gardening

When people think of Edible Gardening they typically think about tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables. Herbs, however, are great crops that can be used almost immediately upon planting in cooking, teas, and potpourri.  With such a large variety available to grow in the summer months, the possibilities are endless, and you’ll be saving some money from having them available to use right in your garden or on your patio.

Much like other plants, there are herbs that are both perennial and annual in our area.  Some of the best perennial herbs for Hinsdale (Zone 5) are chives, lavender, mint, chamomile, oregano and tarragon.  A lot of perennial herbs, however, can be quite invasive when planted in the ground. To prevent them from invading space, plant the herbs in a sunken container or in an area you don’t have to mow or maintain.  

You can also incorporate herbs into your container planters.  Using a tri-color sage or lemon variegated thyme not only adds some color and texture to your planters, but they add great smells too.

Another way to garden with herbs is to create a container herb garden.  Strawberry jars and window boxes make great herb planters.  Another advantage of having your herbs in a container is that they can be placed on your patio or deck, and closer to the kitchen. This makes snipping a few fresh sprigs of oregano for your pasta much quicker.

Creating a container garden also allows you to use annual herbs that you may need for your cooking.  Some of these annual herbs that are culinary necessities are dill, basil, thyme, cilantro, parsley, rosemary and sage. All of the herbs mentioned can be planted together in a container, leaving some space to give them room to grow.  While these herbs grow well here in the summer, they will need to be brought indoors for the winter or bought new each spring.

Once you have your herbs planted, you can begin using them in your cooking.  Simply cut off how many leaves the recipe requires, and rinse the leaves off.  To chop herbs for cooking, its easiest to simply snip them with a pair of kitchen shears or clean scissors.  There are types of herb scissors that you can purchase at kitchen supply stores, but simple scissors work, too.  

Here’s a few of our favorite recipes using herbs at Vern Goers Greenhouse: 

Nicole’s Pico de Gallo: Fresh salsa made to enjoy at summer barbecues.

3 Tomatoes ● ½ cup chopped onion ● ½ cup chopped cilantro1 tsp salt ● 2 tsp lime juice ● 1-3 chopped serrano peppers●Directions: Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl.  Chill at least one hour before serving.

Kim’s Mojito: A refreshing summer cocktail using spearmint or Mojito Mint

1oz White Rum ● 4 mint leaves ● 1 Tsp sugar 1-2 lime wedges ● Club Soda●Directions: Place the mint leaves, sugar and limes in the bottom of a glass.  Muddle together.  Fill the glass with ice. Add rum and top off with soda.  Mix well and enjoy!

Dan’s Stuffed Chicken Breast:  A great combination of fresh herbs makes this easy chicken dish delicious and quick to make.

2 oz crumbled feta cheese ● 1 Tbsp snipped parsley ● 1 Tbsp snipped basil ● 2 tsp snipped thyme or oregano ● ¼ tsp paprika ● 1 clove minced garlic ● 4 chicken breast halves ● ½ cup dry white wine

Directions: In a small bowl, combine the feta, parsley, basil, thyme or oregano and garlic. Rinse chicken and pat dry.  Cut slit horizontally into the meaty side of each chicken breast.  Stuff with the cheese & herb mixture into the slits. Arrange chicken pieces in a 2 quart baking dish.  Pour wine over chicken and sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered, in a 375 degree oven for 40-45 minutes.

Gift Ideas for Mom

Want to do something new & exciting for Mom this year?
Mother’s Day is this Sunday!  Here are a few suggestions:

• Bird Feeder, House & Food: Help attract beautiful songbirds and hummingbirds to Mom’s garden.
• Coffee Cup Planter & a packet of Door County Coffee to combine two of her favorite things. 
• Pet Pots: These dog & cat planters will be a best friend that won’t dig up Mom’s garden or eat her plants
• Garden Lanterns to add light to her garden at night
• Animal Watering Cans that serve as garden art, too.
• Herb Pots with some of Vern Goers Greenhouse’s favorite recipes. They start at only $20!
• A gift card to let her choose, because Mom always knows best!