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Re: Planting for birds and wildlife
BRIAN . . .
When I bought the Hilton Pond property in 1982, it had been in
pasture for many years and row crops before that. I laid out my
nature trails and let the rest go. Natural succession has turned the
11 acres into a wonderful mix of young hardwoods, pines, and cedars.
I've had pretty much a laissez-faire philosophy of land management,
interfering only to remove Japanese honeysuckle, privet, multiflora
rose, and a few other invasives. Some of this is outlined on the
website for Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History at
http://www.hiltonpond.org .
If you're looking to start a hummingbird/butterfly garden, you might
check out "Operation RubyThroat: the Hummingbird Project" at
http://www.rubythroat.org . The section on "Attracting Hummingbirds"
has lots of suggestions for plantings, both native and exotic.
Let me know if these sites are useful.
Best wishes,
BILL
P.S. By all means, plan on putting in a water garden of some sort;
water often attracts more wildlife than food.
********
>Ahhh, spring is just around the corner.
>
>I have been sitting on 4 1/2 acres (70% beat up pasture) for many years and
>have never done any landscaping, but now I have the itch.
>
>I am using the middle pasture for a LARGE garden. The variety of plants and
>growing conditions varies widely over the acreage.
>
>What I am looking for is some advice concerning the following:
>( I live in EAST Durham Co., NC)
>What grasses, shrubs, and small trees would be most suitable for
>birds(nesting, shelter, food)in this area? Preferably native species.
>
>Where are good places to purchase these plants in the Triangle area?
>
>Would you like to help plant? ;-) Just yokin!
>
>Some ideas I have - 1) plantings to attract BOBWHITE(I still have some
>around) 2)Plants that produce berries for winter consumption 3) plants
>that attract warblers
>
>I have plans for a butterfly garden.
>
>I do have some info, but if you have personal experiences you are willing to
>take the time to share, all of my critters and myself will be most
>appreciative.
>
>
>Brian T. Murphy http://brmurphy.home.mindspring.com/
>Millbrook High School http://schools.wcpss.net/MillbrookHigh
>Raleigh, NC USA
>919-850-8787
--
BILL HILTON JR., "The Piedmont Naturalist"
Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History
1432 DeVinney Road, York, South Carolina 29745 USA
hilton@hiltonpond.org, (803) 684-5852, eFax: (503) 218-0845
Please visit our web sites at http://www.hiltonpond.org and
http://www.rubythroat.org
"Never trust a person too lazy to get up for sunrise or too busy to
watch the sunset." BHjr.