Wildlife Habitat--What is Eden's Natives supporting this week?

Snow Snow Snow--

Eden's Natives are Buried ...  

18-24 inches of hard packed snow covers most of the yard....  Empty seed heads of perennial sunflower, coneflower, joe pye weed, ironweed & liatris are rising above the reflective white surface.  Only a few goldenrod & autumn clematis appear to have any seed remaining.  The american cranberry is still holding on to a few shriveled up, but still red fruit.   As with the crabapple, haw & aronia, these small trees & shrubs hold their fruit through freezes & thaws until the sugars are intensified...  Often they remain until spring migrants arrive so they can provide needed nourishment upon their return to breeding territory.

 Northern Cardinal-Male

The Northern Cardinal is now a year-round resident in Connecticut. Other birds are also enjoying the bounty of natural foods in the garden, our heated water feature & our black oil sunflower, thistle, suet, peanut butter & of course the Cardinals favorite- safflower seeds. 

I think I saw a big bad hawk!!!  Geronimo!!  (Tufted Titmouse)

 We have been hosting many year-round residents:   Tufted Titmouse, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-Bellied Woodpecker, White-Breasted Nuthatch, Carolina Wren, Black-Capped Chickadee, House Finch, American Goldfinch, & all, even the American Robin, have been frequenting our water trays.

White Throated Sparrow

Northern visitors for the winter have included WhiteThroated Sparrow & Dark-Eyed Junco....

American Tree Sparrow

We have our first arrival from down south...  
the Tree sparrow is here now, we should be
 seeing the Fox Sparrow next...

Fox Sparrow

Pussy Willow beginning to break dormancy

 In our wetlands we are catching glimpses of the first of the season bloomers....

Skunk Cabbage

 

Skunk Cabbage heat-producing flower

 Along the line of continuing education:  There is a free workshop tomorrow @ Tolland Agricultural Center that is being presented by the North Central Conservation District to support their coming Native Plant & Seedling sale in April.  The catalog & pre-order information is here:  NCCD's Plant & Seedling Sale

Jane Seymour showing Belding WMA wildlife habitat

  Saturday, March 8 at TAC in Vernon
10:00 am - Noon   Landscaping for Wildlife: Using Native Plants to Sustain Wildlife in your Backyard
Leading up to this year's annual NCCD Spring Seedling Sale, Jane Seymour, Wildlife Technician with the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and Steward of the Belding Wildlife Management Area in Vernon will be presenting this workshop to inform the public how to use native plants in your yard to attract and benefit wildlife.


 Eden's Natives Nursery will have Native Perennials available for sale to benefit NCCD at the pick-up sites April 11&12, 2014.

Our Business Card/Information Stand

GROWING EDEN'S NATIVES

Eden's Natives Nursery Trailer with dormant native perennials.

Growing plants in an organic natural cycle environment does not mean that the grower is dormant while the plants are.  Gaining knowledge is a very active process during winter months, while the opportunities seem to be multiplying every year.  The plethora of events, whether they are designated seminars, symposiums, conferences or workshops are almost overwhelming.  How do you choose which educational opportunities are most beneficial?  

 Overview of the Ct Flower & Garden Show exhibits.

 What process do you pursue?  1st come 1st serve?  I volunteer for many organizations & often have to prioritize my efforts.  Most recently I volunteered throughout the Connecticut Flower & Garden Show.  This was an opportunity to help publicize many of Connecticut's non-profit horticultural related groups within one venue.

 Thanks to John Murphy for coordinating

 the Rhododendron Society of Connecticut display.

One of the "Backyard Paradise" exhibitors within the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut displays was the Rhododendron Society of Connecticut.   This group meets monthly on the first Tuesday, @ the Windsor Experiment Station (CAES conference room) for a 7:30pm presentation.  Their next meeting is this coming Tuesday, March 4th with Tom Ahern, who has been hybridizing Rhodos for over 20 years in his Pa. garden, presenting  his lecture "Rhododendrons & More". Rhododendron Society Of Connecticut Facebook 
 

Azalea "Marie Hoffman" was forced by nurseryman Dick Jayne.  His wife Sally, Tom & Jon pose with him at the Rhododendron Society of Connecticut display.