The Birds

The starlings have returned in crazy quantities as they do every year in pursuit of the Beech nuts.  The trees are ancient and full of nuts.  The flock moves from tree to tree where they pull off as many as they can, dropping them to the ground and following them en masse to devour their harvest below.

Here they are munching away.

I was pretending I was Tippi Hedren - tall, blonde and svelt at this moment.

Obviously the No Parking sign means nothing to these hungry creatures.

I remember reading a book on Hosta where it said in very plain terms - never plant Hosta under a tree.  Perhaps I should look up the author and send him this as more photo evidence.  (I noticed there is even a feather in the hosta cup - perhaps they should never be planted under the path of flying birds either.)

And speaking of Hosta, I'm kicking myself for not having the tag on some of the species Hosta I've moved around the yard.  This one is in bloom now and is particularly pretty.

Here's a new trial plant from Terra Nova - Heucherella 'Solar Power'.  It's in its first year - so I've yet to see how it comes through the winter, but at the moment, I'm really pleased with the way it looks. 

This is the last gasp of the Brugmansia.  It is lovely to have a plant blooming away in the back garden during this period of flower-drought.

And of course one more shot, because you can never have enough Brugmansia photos.  Below is my gift from Canada Blooms from my dear friend Gill - Agapanthus 'Storm Cloud'.  It was in bloom when we got it, so I'm delighted to get a second bloom in the same season.  I'd stowed it by the bird bath and dumped the bathwater on it when I changed the water over - seems to have worked just fine.

Speaking of new plants, this is my haul from the last Garden Writers conference.   Can you hear the screams of those who have just realized that they've come to my Zone 6B (US 5B) garden?  But, if you don't try to see if something's hardy, you'll just never know will you?

From my back garden to yours - hope the sun is shining where you are today.