My Wildlife Habitat March 31 2016.

My Yard and Wildlife Habitat right now. March 31 2016.

 This is the recycled aluminum wildlife habitat sign at the front of my wildlife garden.This garden is at the side of my house and it gets full sun and full shade. This is great because I can do shade and sun plants and it gives the wildlife sunny areas on cold days and shade when it is hot.

 This is another area at the side of the house it does not look like much but when every thing grows it attracts lots of birds and butterflies. I see a lot of humming birds in this area during the summer even though it is a shaded area.

 The pond does lot look like much right now and will be changed this year so I can make a bog area with a water fall to circulate into the pond. I want this to become an amphibian habitat. Right now it houses goldfish and servrs as a watering hole for the deer. When I change it, the pond will loose the goldfish and become home to some Bluegill. The new bog area will hopefully become a home for frogs, salamanders, and dragonflies, 

This is another weed that grows in my yard that I want to start incorporating into my flower beds as a ground cover. It is a native plant called Speedwell or Veronica persica. This early bloomer can be used to make a refreshing tea. Boil and steep 2 c. water, 1 handful of fresh, washed speedwell. Add honey or other herbs or spices to taste. The beautiful tiny blue flowers along with the rest of the plant can be used as an expectorant for coughs, digestive aid, and blood cleanser. Remove those toxins! Freshen that skin! I never bother using any of my plants for medicinal applications or consumption  other than regular fruits and vegetables from the vegetable garden but its nice to know that they can be used.

 This is my bird and pollinator garden area. In another month or two it will be filled with all kinds of flowers and the birds bees and butterflies will take over.

 I have several different kinds of daffodils. They add spring color but by the time summer comes the other plants take over so I get to use the same space for different blooms without having to disturb either. 

 This is a patio area outside my kitchen door. I am changing it around right now and adding a flowerbed along the house with a lamp post that I got for free off craigslist. When Home Depot put on my new roof they removed my spot light and never put it back. They left the electric wires just hanging from the side of the house so I will hook the lamp post up to the wires and use the switch inside my kitchen door to turn the lamp post on and off.

A few Hyacinth's and some Muscari that I got one year for Easter.  

 Some of my creeping phlox. I have several colors planted on the front slope of my yard but this is the only color in plume right now.

 I am in the process of redoing the pathway across the top of my front yard. I am reusing brick I had saved from my chimneys that were taken down last year. I used some to create a pathway from my yard to the neighbors so the post man would stop tramping through my wildlife habitat.

I have several lilacs throughout the yard they are not native plants but they look pretty and provide shelter and nectar  in the spring and summer for birds and bees. This one is starting to bud and is a Beauty of Moscow.

 My birdbath. I am surprised Home Depot did not break it when they did my roof. I lost a lot of plants in this area because of them but I will fill everything in this year with new plants.

 This is another lilac that is starting to bud at the front of my house. It is an Asian variety that stays smaller with smaller leaves but regular sized flowers.

 Some Dianthus that I moved from the side of the house to fill in at the front of the house.

 I planted this tree in memory of my mother and thought Home Depot killed it off. I trimmed all the broken branches and did my best to try and save it. I am happy to see it is budding out and looking good.

My Dicentra is already starting to flower this year. It seams to flower earlier than all the neighbors. 

This is one of my favorite early flowers Lungwort. The flowers tart out a rose color and turn blue as they get older. After the flowers fade you have the attractive foliage.

These Peonies will not bloom till June they are my Festiva Maxima.

 This is a mystery peony that I have no clue where it came from.

I start a lot of new plants from cuttings this is a Lilac that I just started a few weeks ago it looks like it is doing well so far. All my lilacs except for one came from cuttings that I started myself. I usually just put the cuttings in the ground and they take but I have also used rooting hormone powder in the past. I have never tried the potato method for my cuttings but am going to try it with a few this year just to see what happens.

 This is another view of my new pathway that I am putting in.

My wild violets are starting to bloom these are another favorite for putting along the fronts of borders.

 These are mystery peonies that a friend told me to take from a vacant property. She was told by the owner of the property that she could have them but she did not want them so I got them. no one knows what color they are so I am looking forward to find out.

 This is my Roselette Peony. This is a very early bloomer and is setting buds already. they are calling for snow this weekend but I never worried about the flowers because I have seen it flower when it snows. 

Another mystery Peony. I think I started this one from seed but do not remember what kind it is. 

Some more Daffodils. These were supposed to be Pink but they look more like a orange or peach color. 

Nikko Blue Hydrangea that I started from a cutting last year. I moved it to the hillside between my house and the church parking lot and it looks like its going to do good here.

Pee Gee Hydrangea that I have moved about 5 times now.  I though Home Depot killed these last year also but they are setting buds this year.