Category Archives: Wildlife

New Guide to Protecting Pollinators

Posted on February 9, 2011 by Mary Schier

After almost 50 hours of Master Gardener training this month, there is one image that I cannot get out of my mind. During the lecture on growing fruit, the professor put up a photo of some workers in China, up … Continue reading →

Posted in Bees, Book Reviews, Nature, Wildlife | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Blown into the Garden

Posted on June 9, 2010 by Mary Schier

This little guy — I think it is a brown thrasher baby — was jumping around my garden this afternoon, clearly having unintentionally fallen from the nest. It’s been very windy today and I think this nest is in one … Continue reading →

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Attracting Wildlife

Posted on May 29, 2010 by Mary Schier

Despite intermittent battles with varmints of the burrowing kind, one of my gardening goals is to attract wildlife. We have lots of birds around the garden, including hummingbirds, hawks and (last year, at least) Baltimore orioles. We have bees, butterflies, … Continue reading →

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Attracting Hummingbirds

Posted on August 3, 2009 by Mary Schier

I planted Yvonne’s Giant Salvia on the recommendation of Donald Mitchell, a speaker at the Rice County Horticulture Day in March. This annual salvia with prolific, bright red flowers is said to be a hummingbird magnet. The original plants seem … Continue reading →

Posted in Annual Flowers, Wildlife | 3 Comments

Garden Visitor

Posted on September 11, 2008 by Mary Schier

Ever since we put in our pergola in the backyard we have had intermittent visits from hawks. I think they like to perch on the pergola and watch for varmints in our meadow. Usually I am not fast enough with … Continue reading →

Posted in Wildlife | 4 Comments