Yesterday we finally finished the back fence! While we built we had some entertainment from the birds. As I was standing practically inside the Pink flowering currant (ribes sanguineum) to hold it up for my husband, a hummingbird literally buzzed right by my ear to try to chase away another that must've quietly been hovering near me. They made quite a fuss chasing each other. I saw that the Rufous won out, like they usually do. He didn't mind a bit that I was there and even hung around while I tried to get a picture. If you enlarge the picture you can see his red throat.
A bit later I started noticing sticks dropping from the pine tree. I knew they were from some other type of tree and was a little confused. The day before I noticed quite a few under the same tree, it had been windy so I just assumed they had blown off the maple tree and ended up there. While I was looking up I noticed two crows landing at the top of the tree with sticks in their beaks. It looks like they are building a nest high up in the tree. I hardly noticed crows in our yard until last summer. Now they must have decided this is a great place to live, because I've seen 3 other pairs building nests in the trees across the street and behind our house.Back to the fence. This is a new clematis 'Henryi' that I just planted to grow on the fence. I've seen the name of this one quite a bit, and often read that it's a favorite. It's supposed to have 8" white flowers, and bloom June to September. They will grow in part shade to full sun and get to be 10 to 12 feet long.
More sun is due today, and I hope to get some planting and cleanup done.
My Henryi is blooming. It is nice and quite reliable. I like all the clematis-just can't figure out how to prune them. Think I am finally getting it down though. Congrats on completing the fence and beware of close flying hummingbirds:) I bet they too have a nest in your garden.
ReplyDeleteWow! How exciting, Catherine, to have a hummingbird fly by so close! I wish they have a nest in your garden as Tina suggested. If that's the case, we get to see more shots of cutie little ones in your blog. 8"? Whoa! I'll be waiting for that bloom's shot. Good luck with the Clematis!
ReplyDeleteNice fence and love your tree - I looked at one yesterday cause I had seen them mentioned and hadn't seen one before (that I knew what it was).
ReplyDeleteYay another Clematis. I really have to catch up with you - just for the fun of having a lot of them which I've always wanted but have killed a few. Can't wait to see those huge blooms.
I get nervous when hummingbirds buzz too close to me but now I know after posting on them they probably fight and fly closeby begging us to refill the feeder because they are a short time away from starving.
A nest would be neat. Have you ever seen a hummingbird egg? A lady brought one into garden club and they are the tiniest little things. Let me think . . . smaller than a thimble.
Sun's already shining - I get to go outside and play today!!!!! Or work!!!!!
The hummingbirds are quite entertaining! Sometimes if I am wearing colorful clothing, they buzz me out in the garden! I can't wait to see your Clematis. We "inherited" two from the previous owner - both are purple and are loaded with blooms right now.
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine, your fence is so beautiful and pristine. That white clemmie show make a good show against it. How lucky for you to see the hummers so close too. There was one inside a nursery I visited this weekend. At least the place was filled with flowering plants for it to eat. A lady there said it is time for the feeders to go up as the hummers return to the same spots where they dined last year looking for them. If the feeders are not ready to go, the birds will move on. I had better get them up right now!
ReplyDeleteFrances
I have been invaded by Grackles and cow birds this year. Noisy critters. i was hoping they were just passing through :-) I put out mu hummingbird feeder but have not seen one yet. Other birds have been sipping from it though. I call the humming birds little dive bombers because they swoop in so fast when others invade their space.I hope they will come soon because I love watching the little bombers.
ReplyDeleteHow fun to have such nice entertainment while you worked Catherine. Well, all but the crows building the nest. I wouldn't be so excited about that. They ate every baby robin out of a nest at my Moms last summer. It was horrible. Anyway, glad you got your fence project finished, maybe now you can move on to more fun things?!!!
ReplyDeleteHenryi is a lovely clematis I had one that flowerd for many years but when I planted a passion flower in the same spot I lost the clematis not sure why unless it didn't get enough moisture.
ReplyDeleteIt flowers early so doesn't need pruning and then has a few later blooms during the summer.
It has dark stamens and a sort of faint yellow flash up the centre of the petals. I have a picture of one on my blog when I posted Clematis in March.
Birds are so much fun to watch! They provide wonderful free entertainment.
ReplyDeleteThe birds know there will be some yummy protein laden worms in your garden and a few bugs to boot. You'll be blessed with beneficial scavengers.
ReplyDeleteGardening with the wildlife can often be interesting. We had the goats out with us for the last week, they wander and eat while we protect them from the neighbor dogs. Funny thing is they are constantly running into me. Literally. Clumsy goats.
ReplyDeleteGoodness! I've been so busy lately what with taxes and WS'ing and prepping garden beds, etc. that I've not been able to visit your blog for a while. You've done so much and posted so many new blooms, it's hard to know where to start the compliments! LOL
ReplyDeleteLoved the azola story. I grew lots in my old pond. They certainly helped keep the water cool and the algae down. While I don't have a pond now, I do like reading about yours. Thanks!
Tina - I'm not very good about remembering when to prune most clematis except the ones I've had for a long time. I'm so glad to have that fence done, especially since I got to just garden today.
ReplyDeleteChandramouli - I'd love it if they had a nest! I know their nests are very small. The clematis came with buds so I should have some blooms to show.
Linda - While out gardening today I found a new spot for a clematis, I think the one there must have died, I'm still looking for 'Josephine' I think you have that one, right?
Mildred - The hummingbirds may be small but they are pretty aggressive for their size! It's nice to inherit some pretty plants from previous owners, I wish we had. At least this way I get to choose my own.
Frances - I know I need to get my feeders cleaned and refilled. I left them up this winter since it was so cold and the Anna's stuck around. I hope you have lots in your yard this year.
Lona - I wonder what other birds drink from hummingbird feeders? I hope these crows won't be a nuisance. As long as they leave the other birds alone and aren't too noisy. Guess there isn't much we can do about who chooses to nest nearby.
Kathleen - Yes, the crows really aren't nice to the Robins. I remember seeing them do that years ago and the Robins were just freaking out. I felt so bad, but then we hadn't seen the crows again for many years. Today I had fun in the garden, planting and cleanup.
Joanne - I didn't know when to prune it, so thanks! I will just leave it. I'm going to look for it on your blog.
Susie - I could sit and watch the birds all day. I wish we had a bigger yard with more trees so we would have even more visit.
Anna - The birds are great for many things aren't they? I watched the chickadees catch yellow-jackets in the summer, can't believe they eat them.
Heather - Gardening with goats, that's a whole blog post right there!
Kris - Thanks!! Hope you've have fun with the winter sowing since I know the tax part isn't! I'm looking forward to seeing what you've done in your yard. I'm just getting my winter sown into the ground.
Catherine,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your bird/fence story. The clematis looks ready to grow and bloom. I love clematises.
We spotted our first hummer here a week or so ago. I've only seen males so far. He loves the Columbine.
ReplyDeleteWe have lots of Crows here too, I believe both Common and Fish. They can make some wild noises, especially the Fish Crows! Sometimes they sound almost like crying babies or cats fighting.
Your place is alw1ays so pretty. I bet your tired after all our sun today! Man our hummers were crazy again today, bad idea to wear red or move quickly! My daughters and I constantly get our hair swooshed when we are working in their flight path. Right now that seems to be every where! I envy your current a little i had a big one for twenty years right outside my kitchen window and it just up and died a couple of years ago. Sad, very sad. And I don't notice any in our woods right now. Very odd.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week!
pretty nice beautiful garden.CONGRATULATIONS!
ReplyDeleteI spotted the Rufus in our yard, but haven't been able to get a shot. Anna's is still around sometimes, but even he has been hard to spot. I can't wait to see the Clematis! I but it will be wonderful!
ReplyDeleteSue - Thanks. This clematis looks really healthy and I swear it's grown since I planted it.
ReplyDeleteSweet bay - It's great seeing the hummingbirds! The crows around here are pretty loud too, although in the last week they've been a lot quieter. Probably because they're nesting.
Lanny - Thanks, I bet you get a lot with all your space out there. They really are brave.
Do you think you'll plant a new currant? I've noticed them used in a lot of landscaping around here this year.
Nicolescu Ana-Maria - Thank you and thanks for visiting!
Tessa - This is the most I've seen them this time of year. Usually there will be one of two coming through but when more flowers are blooming. Maybe since a lot is late they are possessive of the Currant.