Bringing the birds in close

THE GARDEN FANATIC

“Zest is the secret of all beauty. There is no beauty that is

attractive without zest.”

-- Christian Dior

“It was the wish to drink from many flowers that gave the

hummingbird his wings.”

-- Anonymous

Who’s watching birds, you might ask. Well, Catharine and I are now

accustomed to greeting hummingbirds and other wild birds that delight

us daily with their beauty, zest and song! Additionally the hummers

perform aerial acrobatics that rival the air shows ... for free!

A male Anna’s Hummingbird greets me as I leave for work each

morning; his platform depends on his mood ... atop a Peppermint tree,

tomato cage or potted Plumeria. I watch as he and his mate dart,

hover, eat, chase, court, build nests and raise young. When he is not

busy eating, he spends his time defending territory or preening

himself.

Attracting birds to your garden helps to reclaim, in a small way,

a natural world for these friends. To create a paradise for

hummingbirds and other wild birds, don’t keep your garden “squeaky

clean.” Resist the temptation to rake up every leaf, trim out all of

the dead branches, or spray until the last pest is driven away. That

type of garden is sterile and offers little to attract birds. A

garden that offers refuge, shelter and food is far more likely to be

called home by feathered friends.

Instant nectar (see below) is an effective method to initially

attract hummingbirds into your garden.

Various commercial bird foods and feeders are available from Opus

and Perky-Pet Brand. Try to place feeders near flowers that will

offer real nectar and insects.

Landscaping with favorite flowering trees, shrubs and flowers will

keep a hummingbird’s attention once they have visited your garden.

They favor flowers that are colored red, orange, blue or pink. Their

beaks are specialized to extract nectar and tiny insects and spiders

... flowers with trumpet, funnel, or tube shapes are on their “A”

list as well (see flower list below). See you next time.

Catharine’s Recommended Hummingbird Nectar

8 oz. Perky-Pet Brand Instant Nectar

6 cups Sparkletts water (hummingbirds prefer bottled water just

like us)

Combine Instant Nectar and water and stir until the Nectar is

completely dissolved before filling feeder. Store extra mix in the

refrigerator for as long as two weeks. Remember to clean feeders with

hot soapy water at least once a week!

* STEVE KAWARATANI is the owner of Landscapes by Laguna Nursery,

1540 S. Coast Highway in Laguna Beach. He is married to local artist,

Catharine Cooper, and has three cats. He can be reached at 949 497

2438, or E-mail to plantm@lagunanursery.com.