Bitter-sweet

It is September already, and this is the time when my garden become a battle field. This is the time when I may have the more of them. One is perching on the Weigela bush, a key position over the garden. The other one took over the feeder beside the bench,   a little one will guard the feeder on the deck, and two other are chasing these three, trying to get the best places to watch and feed.

Flowers in good shape, feeders with  fresh syrup, frenzy hummingbirds hovering, chasing, buzzing around.  They give me so much joy, and I try to ignore the fact that this may be the last day to see them here. And I am glad for each and every day they are here, before they take the long big trip to South.

Summer 2014

The weather forecast is 4 C for Saturday. Was the summer here for real? I spent most of my time in the garden,  working around my flower beds or simply watching the hummingbirds, or any other birds, insects and butterflies. Trying to copy all of the summer’s garden  life into my memory to have it back during the winter days.

The hummingbirds are still here, this summer I had three adult males from May until late July and the last one left mid August. Little gorgeous birds, they made my days better.

 

 

New Year and old pictures

Forget the frigid temperatures, the ice rain or the snowfall… it must be something – somewhere to warm up our spirit. I am ready for a new gardening season, until then…. lots of pictures to watch and smile.

Happy New Year! may the Spring come soon!

Cuphea for hummingbirds

There is no secret the tubular flowers are mostly liked by hummingbirds. The shape of the flower is just perfect for the long bill and the nectar can be reached easily. Also, so many flowers count on hummingbirds for pollination.  Cuphea’s flowers are so beautiful and so much liked by hummingbirds.

I have three Cupheas in my hummingbird garden. I like all of them and I sit nearby with my camera ready to catch the magical hummingbird dance hovering around the flowers.

This one is Mexican Cigar or Cuphea ignea and probably the hybrid named David Verity (c.ignea x c.micropetala). The small tubular flowers in red-orange color are tipped with a thin withe-silver rim and two very tiny purple petals that suggest a lit cigar.

It is an annual flower for my zone 5, and winter hardy for zones 10-12. Awesome flower, easy to grow from seeds, plant in full sun, moderate water. It will tolerate some drought but it will do the best with regular watering.

I was so happy to found them at the nursery and I’ve got three nicely grown plants almost ready to bloom. However, I have started a few from seeds and I planted them in a flower bed out in the garden. I may say that the ones in pots didn’t grow so tall and bushy like the ones in the ground.

To make the plant bushier pinch the stems as needed to maintain a good shape. They can grow as tall as 30″ or more in warmer areas.

This is one hummingbird enjoying the Mexican Cigar and for sure it’s a good hummingbird flower, from how much visited it was.

Cuphea Ilavea, another magnet for hummers, in two shapes: one looks like Batface and the other one with smaller petals I would call Mouseface, because I didn’t get the name tag when I purchased it. Anyhow, doesn’t matter, for the beauty and joy it gives away, for me and the hummingbirds.

The flowers are obviously different, the same tubular shape but the petals are bigger and bright red with a purple center . They need the same sunny area and water with moderation.  Hummingbirds are so happy around them and some of them were guarding the area very carefully.

Can you see the one hummingbird there?

Cuphea can become a little bit leggy so pinch the stems to keep them in good shape.

I planted the in a sunny place together with a few annual Salvias and they made a great playground for the hummingbirds.

The other Cuphea Ilavea might be a Batface hybrid and from the look of the flower it really look line one batface 🙂 The petals are visible larger than the other one. I noticed they they self-seed and the seeds were very well alive after the cold winters in Ontario. I have plants from the seeds I saved in fall. I have this plant in my garden for two summers already.

This bumble bee is too big for such a small flower… is this a hug???

Plant Cuphea where ever you want a nice and bright color all summer.  Plant a mass of plants near a window or the patio where you can enjoy the hordes of butterflies and hummingbirds sipping the reach nectar. of these beautiful flowers.

How pretty am I???

Watching the hummingbirds is always amazing.  I spend lots of time waiting for the big -wonderful shot, and I always have my camera ready. But these little birds are so very fast, and my camera clicks a second late almost every time.  I didn’t get “THE” picture, but some of them are really funny.  Browsing through the summer’s photos brings me back to the sunny days.

They come back at the feeder almost every 15 minutes; some of them fly back very quickly, others are taking time for resting and guarding.  Perching at the feeder is not very often,  but they will fly somewhere close and watch the feeders from any intruders.

A good and healthy meal: catching small flying insects will provide the protein needed. Look at that tongue! good for sipping the nectar and fly-catching as well.

 

Preening, scratching and stretching…

  

A nap after a good meal? I don’t know if they really nap, but those eyes are closed for sure 🙂

My last thought: aren’t they so pretty??? The delicate body shape, those dark eyes with a small white spot in the corner of the eye.  And the shiny emerald like green… totally addictive.

I’m watching you!

One of  September’s hummingbird, another fighter who took over the garden. I have seen lots of fights and chasing this summer and sometimes I clapped my hands trying to stop the fights. None of the birds have been badly hurt, however in two occasions the other bird was knocked down to the ground.

I called her “Big Mama” because she looks very strong and had enough fat to start her long trip. I haven’t seen her lately, she probably left by the end of September.

There were 3 hummingbirds in my garden; the one tiny  female and one young male, sneaking behind the Big Mama Ruby to get to the flowers and feeders. They did it most of the time, when Big Mama wasn’t fast enough to get them.

Here she is, perching on the tallest of the Datura – Angel Trumpet stems, watching the grounds and the feeders. I know Datura is poisonous, and perching there hopefully didn’t make the bird sick.

She liked also to perch on a Weigela branch, very close to the feeder and the Black&Blue Salvias.

If you look carefully, you’ll see a distinct mark on her beak, it’s like a “bump” . No idea what is that, and it didn’t make any difficulties for feeding. I hope she is alright.

Well, she is gone, like many other hummingbirds.There is only one now, a cute female who does not use the feeders. Still watching them with the sorrow that soon my garden will be so empty.

September’s Hummingbirds

A day in the garden.

Still here

I’ve learned that August is the best hummingbird activity in my garden. With some luck,  it starts end of July and they will be gone by  first week of October.

These are the three hummingbirds “living” in my garden. I can see them all times and I spent every spare minute watching them.  As always… so wonderful.

One of them is guarding the teritory from the tip of a canna bud, another one is taking care of the arbour area… not sure yet where is the third one 🙂

I can recognize them somehow.  Two females and one young male with only a few red feather on his gorget yet.

Still here… they made my summer!

Who is she?

Remember Fuzzy,  the friendly hummingbird from last summer? She liked to perch on top of a tomato stick support. From there she could guard the garden and protect it as her territory.  This year, a hummingbird as “fluffy” as Fuzzy was, perches on the same stick, and behave like my dear Fuzzy. Is it possible? Is Fuzzy back???

Look at these pictures, this one is Fuzzy, October 2012. The red area is the feeder I had in my hand… she let me fed her 🙂

This picture is from a few days ago, not the same position, but… looks familiar.

Fuzzy last year, below:

And this year…is it Fuzzy? or not?

First row is Fuzzy, last year. Second row is my girl this year. She is not shy, she likes the flowers and the feeders and she comes  so close to us… no fear.

Whoever is she, is a beauty!  I can see her  almost every time, around the flowers or in the trees or on top of the bamboo cane.  Hopefully more pictures to come!

Enjoy the rest of the summer!

Surprising Shrimp plant

After a long waiting, with only to males as rare visitors of my garden;  finally the action began.  For two weeks now, one juvenile male and two females are the most precious residents of the garden. They hover over the flowers, the youngest are so curious and they are testing each one. They love  Agastache, Bee Balm,  Zinnia, Weigela, Penstemons and more others. This year I extended my hummingbird flower collection, with new Agastaches and Salvias, Mina Lobata, Major Wheeler Honeysuckle, Cobaea,  Cuphea Ignea.

But the surprise came from the two braided Shrimp plants (Justicia brandegeana). They just love it, and they pick every flower again and again. It’s just wonderful to watch them.