The Bees and the Sunflowers

Don't bees and sunflowers go together well?

One cool morning I awoke to discover several bees sleeping on the sunflowers.

I thought it was darling....

in the garden....

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Grackles

By SKEETER I love birds and have provided a happy yard for them here in my Georgia Gardens. But these guys are not welcomed by me.
Grackles are beautiful birds but they show up in flocks and take over the feeders. They run off all the song birds and even the squirrels don't have a chance nibbling fallen seed under the feeders.
We usually have a few here and there but never a large flock until this year. I suspect when we cut down the 90 foot oak tree, it opened the view of the feeder to the grackles. I ran them off with loud claps but they would return within a few minutes once seeing the song birds back at the feeders. I had to resort to drastic measures. I removed the bird feeders in hopes they would go elsewhere. I will install the feeders in time and there is plenty of goodies around for the birds to eat for now. I do miss my feeders as they are always so busy with activity.
The squirrels miss the fallen treats from the feeders so they are capitalizing on the sunflowers in the area. I get the biggest kick out of watching them pull down the long stems of the sunflowers and trying to remove the entire sun flower bloom. I have yet to see one in action removing the bloom but have seen them nibbling on the bloom and running into the woods with a big bloom in their mouth.



This video shows one running with his treat. I cannot help but laugh as the blooms are as big as their heads but they are not letting go of their treasure. Too cute but not so cute when they move on from the sunflowers to my beloved garden flowers. Grackles GO AWAY, I do not want GRACKLES, In the Garden.

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Sunny Flower's

By SKEETER

Last year I planted Sunflower seeds in my Georgia Garden.
Imagine my happiness when spotting this sunflower bud.
Imagine the disappointment to have only 2 plants bloom from an entire package of seeds planted.
We fast forward to today and find sunflowers growing below the bird feeder. Do you see the squirrel below the feeder?
Not planted by me but by the beautiful birds scattering seeds from above.
I cannot believe the squirrels missed all these seeds on the ground. I am ever so happy they did though.
Every day I have a new flower waving at me.
Thank you Gold Finch, for providing me with SUNNY FLOWERS, In the Garden...
Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Some Whimsy For the Garden and Summer Celebration

How about some alliums with the daylilies?

Or sunflowers with the sedum?

It is really something what you can make from a few neat utensils and farm implements just laying around....

in the garden....

There is a very important date coming up for those of us in Tennessee, especially those who have access to Jackson Tennessee. This Thursday, 9 July 2009 is the annual Summer Celebration extravaganza at the University of Tennessee's Agricultural Research Station, 605 Airways Blvd, Jackson TN 38301. You won't want to miss this wonderful event. An entry fee of $5 is all you have to pay in order to sit in on informative garden seminars, visit cool plant and garden vendors, and tour the wonderful gardens on this site. Do check out their website so you can plan your day. It is usually a long and most rewarding day 'in the garden'. P.S. There are air conditioned buildings:) Festivities start at 10 am. This is the one garden related event I make sure to not to miss each year. Have fun!