By Sandi McDonald

     No backyard bird feeding station is complete without feeders to attract those tiny flying jewels, hummingbirds and the equally beautiful orioles.

     In the wild, hummingbirds have two major sources of food: flower nectar and small insects, such as gnats and spiders, which provide protein. They pick their insects from flowers or grab them out of the air as they dart around looking for nectar. Hummingbirds readily use a nectar feeder, and since ninety percent of their time is devoted to finding nectar, you really should have one or more of these specially designed feeders in your yard.

     When you shop for a new hummingbird feeder, look for: capacity. 

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the Good it Does

By Sandi McDonald

         Many annuals, perennials and wildflowers that grace our gardens also exist to feed the birds. Some produce seeds, some produce nectar and some have the added benefit of attracting butterflies, too. As you improve and diversify your own bird-friendly backyard, you help an environment that is being decimated by population growth and urban development. Planting to attract birds isn't difficult, and the rewards can be enormous.

         Watching the birds up close, you learn about their amazing interactions with native plants you've provided. 

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Astilbe

       Astilbe brings a graceful, feathering note to moist, shady landscapes. Feathery plumes of white, pink or red flowers rise above the finely divided foliage from early to late summer depending on the variety. They bloom at a good time when color in the shade garden is hard to come by. Astilbe will spread slowly over time where well-situated. 

       Use Astilbe plants in groups in the woodland border, or mass them to create a ground cover. In evenly moist or wet soil and shade to part shade areas, Astilbes are tough, pest-free, deer resistant and handsome. They also attract birds.

20% OFF

One Gallon Container Size

Astilbe Plants

Good through 5/18/15. One-gallon container size plants only. Not good with any other sale, coupon or discount or on previous purchases.

       Tent caterpillars are a very active pest from year to year. They have ferocious appetites and will eat most any plant they find. Their nests are unsightly and their eating will injure plants. Tent caterpillars hatch from eggs in early spring. Though barely noticeable during this young stage, they will become active as local plant life starts to grow its spring foliage. It is this foliage the caterpillar larva need. They will eat what they can find and if the host tree  or shrub on which they originate does not provide adequate food, they will migrate to local plants. For the next two months, the larva will feed during the day growing bigger and bigger. At night, they will return to their host tree and start to spin a constantly growing "tent" in order to accommodate their ever-increasing size.

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Here are a couple of products we offer for the control of tent caterpillars:

 

       Visit the Pot Shop in the Garden Center at Hillermann Nursery & Florist. Watch the artists at work creating one of a kind hand made pottery and browse our finished pieces! See pottery in all the different stages of creating, firing and glazing!  

       Pottery Classes: Learn to make your own pottery items! We can work with your schedule. Call us to learn more!

       Pot Parties: Enjoy a Pot Party with a group and make your own pottery item! Gather friends, family, home schooled group, scouts or any group for a fun activity! Pot Parties are just $25.00 per person and can host 3 - 12 people.

For more information,

call Carol at (636)221-5593 or Noreen at (636)584-3169

or send us an email to potshopathillermann@gmail.com.