We have received more snow since I took this photo.
I wanted to share how leaving some plants out in the garden makes the garden pretty during the winter and how it helps the birds.
I use to clean my gardens in the autumn. I would cut down all the dead plants. Haul everything to the compost pile and look out at just snow during the winter. In the last three years I started to leave more and more in the garden. This is my first winter leaving corn stalks, sunflowers, zinnia, snapdragons and phlox. I am so glad I did.
Nothing uglier than a empty garden in the snow. Even the brown sticks give it character.
Not only do I have more character to look out at. We have many birds come and take up home in our back yard. It has been so much fun to see new to our back yard birds this winter come to the feeder. We have the following visit daily, cardinals, nuthatch, red breasted nuthatch, common red poll, pine skin, tufted titmouse, chickadee and juncos come feed on the plant seeds left in the garden and enjoy sitting on the plants that we left standing to sun themselves.
SNOW
And here I was wondering if we would get snow. How silly of me!
These photos are taken February 7th, 2019.
Just before the storm started I spotted our mourning dove eating.
We put corn out for our mourning doves. They are ground feeders. We clear several areas on the ground for them to eat.
It is starting to snow!
2:30pm in the afternoon.. take a peek at the roof of the bird feeder.
These photos are taken February 7th, 2019.
We put corn out for our mourning doves. They are ground feeders. We clear several areas on the ground for them to eat.
Happy Cross Country Ski Time in Wisconsin!
The snow looks so pretty! I love how you keep some things over the winter for the critters!
ReplyDeleteSo pretty. We were at 79 degrees yesterday in NC. It was nice to open the windows and hear the birds chirping. Have fun cross-country skiing.
ReplyDeleteCarla, the pictures are beautiful! We did the same thing this year, didn't cut back the dead stuff and the birds do seem to enjoy that. It gives them more places to perch if nothing else. Alas, we have only had dustings of snow twice here so no beautiful pictures here like you have. I keep thinking of all the beautiful winter English gardens in my UK magazines and hoping for the white stuff to fall.
ReplyDeleteOh for the beautiful deep stuff you have!
I'm so glad you got your snow finally. Enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI used to clean all my flowerbeds and vegetable garden but this year, I only managed to clean out my vegetable garden. I stopped feeding the birds last summer as we were told on the news that some birds were getting sick and were contaminating bird feeders and they wanted us to stop feeding the birds.
My neighbour has the perfect feeding station in her back yard so I saw no point in feeding them as she lived alone and this was the only entertainment she had as she no longer could work in her garden because of her knees. Then when she moved out of her house last fall, I didn't resume feeding the birds as we had too many squirrels and racoons getting in the feeders. The birds went to the next neighbours. Now I see less squirrels and haven't seen any racoons in my yard.
Hugs, Julia
That's a LOT of snow! The roof of the bird feeder is amazing, I wonder that it doesn't just all fall over. I never thought that birds would eat brown plants in the winter! Well, we have them for sure!
ReplyDeleteI love your snow photos and I know that you are so excited that you have snow for skiing this weekend! I always leave the dead items in our flower bed...to compost into the soil for the next spring and to keep the holes open for the new plants and I don't have to re-dig them. Have a great weekend! Love and hugs!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your skiing. You've definitely got enough snow!
ReplyDeleteThe birds love your yard! Have fun skiing this weekend! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteI hate looking outside too and seeing all the dead and dirty now that our snow is melting. It is still very cold but it got warmer a couple of days after the vortex and now it is all dirty and ugly outside again. We are going to get more snow I think tomorrow. We missed the stuff you got. Stayed north. It is very cold here again but at least the sun is out. Glad you left things for the poor little birds. These winters are so brutal on them. I leave out seed for them.
ReplyDeleteHappy Weekend.
Hugs,
Kris
Happy Cross Country Ski Time to you!!! Pretty photos! I enjoy seeing your snow since we rarely see it.
ReplyDeleteYour photos are beautiful. Snow is always so pretty to look at. That's a great idea leaving the dried plants out for the birds. Hope you are having a nice weekend.
ReplyDeleteOh, I couldn't agree with you more! Winter interest is a very good thing--for so many reasons! Be happy you didn't get the ice storm that we had here in S WI. My driveway is a skating rink...really! And there's loads of snow in the forecast for the next two weeks. February is the longest month... (It's pretty, though.)
ReplyDeleteHa ha ..You've got almost as much snow as we have ... B-r-r-r-rr... It's cold but pretty.... and good for you leaving alittle for the birds to eat.... I did laugh at the roof of the birdhouse...Super pictures..Thanks for sharing...Hugs
ReplyDeleteYour snow shots are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteOh my that is a lot of snow!! We're expecting some tomorrow...I'm not thrilled about it since the kids have to drive in it, but it is pretty!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, your bird feeder! I leave most of my garden in tact until the spring so the birds can enjoy the perches or for treats. It is still snowing here today, we should have close to a 10" out of this system by the time it's done.
ReplyDeleteI'm almost embarrassed by our sunny blue skies. I hope you are keeping warm!
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Every time I look out the window I think of you and how happy all this snow makes you. :-))
ReplyDeleteYay for the snow! We are supposed to get some in the next few days, but so far it's just gloomy here.
ReplyDeleteHappy Valentine's Day, sweet friend! Hugs!
It was ridiculously Spring-like for us today, I'm sure it will not last.
ReplyDeleteSeeing your beautiful snow photographs made me feel Brrrrr.
Stay safe and warm.
All the best Jan