March 3, 2009

Looking for Ruby

As I noted in my last post, my husband loves to have plants that attract butterflies. For me it's the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird I look forward to seeing. Sure a feeder placed on our deck has been an easy way to attract them but I'm trying to plant flowers they may like too. They always check out our hollyhocks that are by the feeder but avoid anything low to the ground that I would usually expect might attract them. This year we will add a few planters on the deck rails and try some new plants too. I've ordered Lonicera sempervirens (coral honeysuckle) 'Major Wheeler' from Niche Gardens and I have hopes that it will both fill in a large open area we have along a wood fence and bring in the hummers. I always enjoy watching their spring trek to my backyard at this site.

I've had fun looking over my seed packets and getting ready for my April seed-starting. However, I am especially eager to get my plant orders this spring. I will be done with school and have a little more time for gardening. So far I'm planning on adding more elderberries, raspberries, strawberries, plums and blueberries in addition to quite a few perennials I will start from seed. It will be a lot of work and I can't wait!

2 comments:

Connie said...

Wow, the flowers on that honeysuckle are really beautiful! We have one on our front porch that threatens to pull the house down.. it gets so big. :-) I prune it back hard every other year. It is the type with the plainer yellow-orange type flowers, but when it blooms the heavenly scent wafts into the house on the breeze.
So glad you will be done with school soon! Let the gardening begin.

Chris said...

Connie- that sounds like a perfect location for a plant with a great scent! I have been wanting to try growing something fragrant.

I have been a bit reluctant to try planting honeysuckle because of all I have read about invasive non-natives. That should not be a problem with the one I have picked but I am also putting it in an area where it can have all the room it wants.

Thanks for visiting!