'Planting Hummingbird Flowers & the Zones to Plant them"-2013

'Planting Hummingbird Flowers'

 When planting hummingbird flowers. I've used the perennial flowers

for many years, because they thrive year after year. In the winter months

my flowers kinda go into a winter sleep & then when spring comes along,

they come back to life. Living in the Northwest - near Cana

da I've found 

that this has worked the best for me. But it really depends on where you live. The one thing you want to look for when you first go looking for hummingbird flowers is their planting zones - This is something that I didn't know much about when I first started my hummingbird garden. I hope to help all of you on this, so you won't go thru some of the heartache that I have gone thru over the years of planting flowers, that I loved - then when it came around fall to December they would all died.   
So first before I talk about hummingbird flowers & the different kinds

     of flowers, I am going to go over planting zones.      

Planting Zones ~

Zone 3 : -30 to -20 degrees

Zone 4 : -20 to -10 degrees

Zone 5 : -10 to 0 degrees

Zone 6 : 0 to 10 degrees 

Zone 7 : 10 to 20 degrees

Zone 8 : 20 to 30 degrees 

Zone 9 : 30 to 40 degrees 

Zone 10 : above 40 degrees

These are the planting zones that i hope will help you when you pick out 

your hummingbird flowers. I also will include a picure of a map of the zones to help you to.

As far as the flowers:

These are some of American's Award -winning hummingbird plants, 

I hope these plants will come useful to you in your own  hummingbird garden.......

Sparkler Blush Cleome - 2002 winner

Not your typical cleome, this hybrid was a breeding breakthrough when it was introuced -

Densey covered with pink flowers, Its more closely branched than other cleomes, giving it a denser appearance on a more compact plant - The airy  blush - pink florets attract not only hummingbirds but butterflies and bees too.

Quartz Bugundy Verbena - 1999 winner

The intense wine-colored florets will attract the hummingbirds first with their color,

then with their nectar, They have an improved resistance to mildew & will flower a lot longer than most many other vebeuas type of flowers. 

Note - these flowere will thrive in any container or hanging baskets.

Twinny Peach Snapdragon - 2010 winner

The shape of this variety of flower & colrful florets makes it especially

easy for hungry hummingirds to reach the nectar  - with their bewitching blend of 

peach, yellow & light and orange blooms. These snapdragons provide excellent 

coverage for both annal borders & containers.

Note: These are great floweres & easy care - exceptional tolerance to all climates too-

I've found they have even made it thru my cold winter months in the Northwest too.

Evolution Salvia of Many  Colors - 2006 winner

This vaiety expands the Salvia color range with its lilac spikes.

Hummingbirds, bees, & butterflies all love them & are attracted to the well - brached, 

robust plants -

Note- It comes also in a flower called 'Lady in Red' & 'Summer Jewel' variety too-

These are favorites of the hummingbird

HERE ARE SOME OF THE BEST PERENNIALS FOR HUMMINGBIRDS

I'VE USE SOME OF THESE AND THE ONES THAT I DO HAVE , I'VE USED FOR YEARS.

Penstemon -  (zones 3 to 10)

These come in Red, purple  & white. Then reach heights of up to 4 feet, remaing in profuse bloom for 

most of all of the summer. They need full sun and well drained soil is ideal- 

(damp or rich soil may cause them to rot)

Butterfly Weed - (zones 3 to 9)

These beautiful flowers will dress up the wild part of your yard with summer -blooming

wild flowers in shades of orange & red. It will reach heights of 3 feet tall &blooms for most of the summer. 

Columbine - (zones 3 to 9)

These beauty bloom exuberantly in spring to early summer, the columbines comes in a broad range of solid colors and bicolors too .All  of these pretty flowers can reach heights of 1 to 3 feet high.

Cardinal Flower (zones 3 to 9)

This  beautiful flower is  - full of moisture & has all your favorite shades of red, pink, and white.

The flower grow to 3 to 5 feet tall and blooms for most of the summer.

Verbena - (zones 9 to 10)

You can expect this flower to bloom all summer long with the most beautiful colors -

The plants features spires of red, pink, purple or white and reach about a foot in height.

Keep their soil moist & dry conditions 

Coral Bells - (zones 3 to 9)

The Coral Bells needs reach, fertile soil - this is best for this type of flower.

Also they need partial shade which is ideal for this handsome plant. The Coral Bells are valued for their colorful, often purple - hue foliage - Then in late spring  the plant sends up pretty long lasting wands of tiny flowers. This is a wonderful plant- but I have found it to be a difficult one to grow.

Crocosmia - (zones 5 to 9)

This dramatic plant reaches up to 3 feet high & blooms in mid  to late summer, with fabulous red and Orange blooms - Moist soil is very important for this flower.

Bee Balm - (zones 3 to 9)

This flower is a staple in any hummingbired garden, and it has a fun shape to boot! Find it in

its traditional red if you can. It  also come in shades of pink, whit and purple too. 

But I have found that the hummingbirds love the red one the most.

Also the red flowers are edible & the leaves are too. You can use them for tea too. The tea taste kinda like mint tea.  The Bee Balm is my Favoite Flower flower & I have been growing them for about 6 to 7 years.

Red - Hot Poker - (zones5 - 9)

Terrific in mixed flower borders of smaller groups - dramatic red - hot poker plant grows up to 4 feet high and delivers bright plumes of red, yellow, orange and bicolors - For best results well drained soil is important for this plant - against rot in the pot - They do best in full sun 

Fuchsia - Annual

One of the most recognizable annual arounds fuchsia have dainty flowers that resemble ballerinas & hummingbirds will flock to the red, white, pink and purple blooms - you can find both dwarf and upright varieties but most grow  up to 6 - 24 inches 

These flowers thrive in baskets even in the winter months.

I hope that I've help in some of your questions in picking the right flower for your hummingbird gardens- 

And I hope that you share your favorite flowers and hummingbirds in my comments. I would love to hear what you all have discovered with these tiny Jewels-
Wendy~

  

    

  

Hummingbird Feeders-2013

Hummingbird Feeders~ 

You can supplement the food that your hummingbirds collect from the flowers in your yard with a special feeder that gives the food source that they need when, your garden is in different seasons of the year. This could be when your hummingbirds favorite flowers aren't in bloom or it could be in other areas during periods of drought or floods, when  flowers might not be able to bloom profusely. When you  go out looking for a hummingbird feeder, you will fined many different kinds of commercial and Artist feeders to choose from. The question is which one is for you! And your hummingbirds. I could tell you a few hints of what I have learned over the many years of living with these beautiful tiny birds. One thing is I found that Hummingbirds are very attracted to the color red. Now this doesn't mean you have to get a red hummingbird feeder. But The two different kinds that I do have and always use are 1) my large clear plastic feeder where they are able to rest and sit while they eat the food that I make for them. 2) Is my large glass feeder that they can come and fly and get a quick drink when ever they want. I also have two  very small feeders that you can stick in a plant pot of their favorite flower. This is handy  when introducing a new flower  or one of  their favorite flowers. Now about the color red. When you first start out with trying to attract hummingbirds, I put some RED ribbons nearby to get the hummingbirds attention. They also love to fly thru water too. Like fountains...

Try to place your new feeder where it will be protected form the wind - so that the sugar solution doesn't spill out (I will give you my home recipe for hummingbird nectar later on in the blog), If possible it should also be located in the shade too; hot sun can cause your sugar solution to spoil faster. And of course, it should absolutely be hung where you will be able to watch your tiny jewels flying about.  That's is what got me so fond and love theses tiny jewels. I have even found a love of photography with these tiny beautys'.
There are lots of commercial hummingbird food mixtures available but these arent' good mixtures for your tiny beauty's. In my opinion, they have artificial chemical & preservatives but it is really up to you! 
Here is my Hummingbird Nectar 
4 to 5 parts water 
1 part white sugar - note  parts means 1 cup 
1 - teaspoon of pure orange Extract - This is what make my Nectar special!

Mix 1 cup of white granulated sugar to 4 cups of water, then put the temp to either med/high on the top of the stove.
When the solution starts to boil, stir until the white granulated sugar has dissolved. Once this has happened you will want to take it off the burner, and let cool.Once the solution is cool, you can then put in clean plastic containers filled with your own special nectar. Keep the extra Nectar in the refrigerator. 
It is important to only use white sugar - do not use honey or  artificial sugars it could sicken or possibly  harm your hummingbirds seriously. As far as the RED food coloring to add in your home made nectar well,  I think that is a personal thing. I myself do add a little of the red food coloring in my nectar..And I have been for about 5 to 6 years.
I have noticed that in the winter months when my hummers do stay here in Washington state. It snows here sometimes and gets down to the lows 20's . So what I fine that helps with the feeders is using old socks to cover the e feeders. And with the larger one's I use a old scarf.

Brazilian Ruby femaleype

 Lucifer Hummingbird 

The wine Throat hummingbird  

You should always keep your feeders clean. That is very important/Why you may ask? Well because of the big problem with mold.The mold can make the tiny birds sick. . So I clean my feeders a lot in the winter months, because of the mold. In the summer months it isn't as bad but you still have to keep an eye on your feeders for the mold..The best way of cleaning them is just warm water  & a little bit of dish washing liquid soap.Just make sure that you get all the soap off before you put your yummy nectar in the feeder. 
I hope that all this info has been helpful. For my next blog on hummingbirds I will go over different flowers that are great for hummingbirds & Great ones that attract hummingbirds too. 
Wendy.    

'HUMMINGBIRDS'2013

'HUMMINGBIRDS'

Hummingbirds are truly the most amazing tiny jewels of the 
sky! I got into hummingbirds about oh 7 to 8 years ago. And I've been in loved with them ever since. The thing about this tiny jewels of the sky; Well that's what I call them. Besides being so beautiful in the colors that they come in. they are wonderful in your garden. They help in ways you might not think about. One is the Adult hummingbirds are great at gobbling up lots and lots of aphids, gnats, tiny flies & other kinda bugs that will sometimes attack you favorite plants. I have found that since I have had my hummers now for about 8-years how, I haven't had any more problems with my plants having bug problems. But that's just one factor of a plus of hummers.

 Allans Hummingbird 

The Lucifer Hummingbird

 Wine Throat Hummingbird 

What I love most about the hummingbird is their sheer joy they have given me. Over the years I have have planted this flower called Bee Balm and I had know Idea  that the hummers   liked them until one day I noticed that a beautiful tiny hummingbird would come and visit my garden every summer. I decided to add a few more different flowers that I knew that the tiny knew friend would like. I add Some more Red Bee Balm, Foxgloves,Fuchsia's, Sage(comes in lots of different colors - red, orange, & yellow are the best),Morning Glory's. I also added a feeder too.. I discover that my hummer was either a Anna's Hummer or an Ruby - Throat hummer. I haven't been able to figure out which one it is but it really doesn't matter to me because I have so much joy from the beautiful tiny bird. To give you an little idea about each of the types of the hummers I thought I would give you a little description of both; The Ruby-Throat hummingbird is found mostly in the east of the Great Plains, many of this tiny jewels will migrate nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico  - six hundred miles over open ocean water flying low over the tops of waves. to reach the Northern parts on California and Washington. But I have discovered over the years that both the Anna's & Ruby - Throat hummingbirds are starting to stay, at their winter homes these last oh, 5 to 6 years. The Ruby Throat hummers in additions to the flowers and feeders (which I will cover more in another blog about feeders and the food you can make at home that is much more healthy for your hummers) are great on eating insects to protect your flowers and some plants too. In addition to feeding on insects and the floral nectar, the ruby-throat  often feeds on the tree sap provided by the drilling of sapsuckers in many parts of Northern California & Washington. This tiny jewels are especially attracted to the blooms of the trumpet creeper - which seems to be primarily adapted to pollination by the hummingbird. The Ruby - throat hummingbirds are also very attracted to the Red Bee balm, Columbine and  Red Saliva.
Now both the Males and Females of the Red throat humming bird have a iridescent green backs. And their undersides are grayish white, with dusky green sides and flanks. They are a close relation to the Black - chin hummers who are in the westerly states. The males are a bit different by far...
When seen in the right light or not, but usually in the summer days the male has a fiery red gorge's that are quite beautiful.. I've have also found that the top of their heads have the same red iridescent flare when they move in the light. They are quite the talkative little birds too. 
Both can  produce this amazing humming sound with their wings & they seem to have a chirping sound that is quite loud at times. The Anna's Hummingbird is so much like my Rosy hummer too. The way he looks and the talkative part of the bird too. 
Anna's Hummingird  has the iridescent feathers but its on his head and his throat & basically all around his head. and you can see his even when its not a sunny day. Also what makes me thing of Rosy with this type of hummer is - the way that they hovering in midair air - the way they fly up really high  and then come down dive-bombing into a tree that is very close by my graden or another hummer. Doing these amazing flying dancing you could call it in the air. and then dive bomb at amazing speeds. 

Well, I will continue blog on my love for my Hummingbirds - And my Rosy - My wild little hummingbird...
Wendy 

~ELVHENAN LANGUAGE IN ANCIENT TIMES~2013

'ELVHENAN LANGUAGE IN ANCIENT TIMES'

Before time, how did elves dominant the race on earth? 
They lived life as Kings and Queens, their magic & immortally was the norm. In the time of the elves was great glory of the dominant race on earth along with the faeries. They were very carefree by nature. Elves and their tiny friends - the faeries loved to dance and play stringed instruments. Music was a great part of their lives, as well as dance. 

Most lived in the thick dark forests where know one could find them. They could live freely out in the open with music, singing, dancing and lovely one another. There was a lot of sex and chasing about of both sexes. This was the way of the middle class elves & all other elves except,  the Kings & Queens Elves who were very posed about their actions & appearance's.Their children were expected to marry whom they choose. Some of the elves would live underground in the spring. They aren't bad but sometimes their pranks have been fatal to humans but never intentionally. Elves apparently came in several distinct varieties - though they are a rather mournful lot, one breed of elves was an invisible  kitchen helpers for good servants, the others the bringers of illness and misery. They can be of both sexes of sexless...

Yet the old tradition portray them as very different creatures, among the Norse, Teutonic and and Scandinavian peoples, Elves are tall, extremely beautiful and very powerful. 

A person may be said to have 'elfin beauty', when they posses fine bones, light and silken hair and large eyes. A Anglo - Saxon, there is a adjective - aelfsciene, that means 'as pretty as and elf.'
Elfin fact - The importance of elves in earlier western culture can be inferred from the number of words & phrases of that have survived into recent times. 

Here are are a few examples - of Early Elfin words & phrases - A changeling - is a elf cup is a stone with a hollow in it filled with morning dew, elf fir is another name for the will - o - the wisp, elf - locks maybe either knots in the hair, said to be caused by elves deliberately tangling it during the night, or short springy curls, elf taken is a phrase used to suggest those who are temporarily mad; elf - twisted - is used of a elf who has suffered a stroke. And elf blot is a disease in a farm animals, said to be the result of being shot by elf arrows.

In more recent times, there has been a general diminution of the elves. In Scandinavia they have become associated with the Hulder a small race, with kinship to dwarf's or brownies. They also aired a tradition of being mischievousness and spiteful at times. This just depends on the type of race to the elves.

In Germanic mythology, the forest Elves are called Schrat, while Danish folklore has Elev or Elle - Folk who have an unfriendly relationship with humanity~

Elvhenan was a place where elven language was reportedly at time time where elves were still the dominated race on the continent of Theda's. Elvhenan in ancient times covered all of Thedas and it wasn't an myth that elves were immortal and used magic. Their political, economical, cultural, activities & were in the heart of the city. Elvhenan was one of the greatest cities of its time. During this time there was much peace and harming with the elves of this age. Their homes were glorious ,  & high up in the forest tree tops. They had no war, disease and only peace and beauty of the earth, water , wind  & sky.  Arlathan or Arlath both have the meaning in elfin as ' I love this place'. Arlathan was located in a great forest in the North of Theda's not far from where the 'Tevinter Imberium' first emerged. Elvhenan is the oldest Elves found on record. Some go back before the dragon age.


Before the ages were named or numbers were used, the people were glorious and eternal and forever changing. They worshipped their Gods for months at a time. Decisions came after decades of debate and could last for years from time to time. Their  ancestors would drift into centuries of long slumber but this is not death as we know it. While the ancient elves did not die, the oldest of the elves were said to weary of life, Memories became too much to bear and rather than fade into complacency, they would voluntarily stand aside, and let the younger generation guide their people. This practice was know as Uthenera or 'The long sleep'. Elves would retire to a chamber that was one part bed and one part tomb. It was the Great Ceremony from all  the extended families, the eldest of the different groups of Elves would succumb to a slumber from which they would not wake for centuries and often never. In time the body would deteriorate and the elder would die in truth. All the while the family would continue to visit the chamber to pay respects to the one who made a great sacrifice.

Ancient Elves worshiped Apantheon of Five Gods & Four Goddesses. Their Mythology also mentions another set of Gods called the 'Forgotten Ones,' the enemies of the Elfin pantheon, only 'Fen' Harel'. The trickster God of the Elven pantheon, was able to walk freely between both groups Elves&Gods..

Elvhenans fall can probably be dated to the crowning of the First Archon of the Tevinter Emporiums nearly six & a  half millemnian later...           

And What is a Hobbit-2013

'And What is Hobbit'  
Most people don't know about the Hobbit. There are these little people, smaller than
dwarfs. They love peace and quiet and good tilled earth. Hobbits dislike machines, but
are handy with homemade tools. They are a nibble but don't like to hurry. Hobbits have sharp little ears and eyes. They are inclined to be fat. And love to ware bright colored clothes. As for 
shoes - well that's a different story. They seldom or never ware shoes & there is a good reason
for this... The hobbit has rather large feet and on the bottom of their feet is  very thick and leathery.
On the top is  thick curly hair to keep them warm during the very cold weathers. Their feet is actually a trade mark of the Hobbit. Another thing that they love to do is laugh and eat at least 7 to 8 meals a day. If I remember they would have at least 2 - 3 different breakfast's to start a couple snacks before lunch. and after lunch there was a couple of more snacks and maybe  3 dinners. I can't remember if there is desert. Another  part of there dinning is their drink which they make their own. It was a special Ale of their own. Which they drank alot of it. The Hobbit loved to have party's and  celebration's. Their land is called the Shire, a place between the river of brandy wine and the far downs.

The hobbit was created by J.R.R.  TOLKIEN. But the hobbit is also a real creature in the world of the 
Eleven Realm too. Just like the faeries, elves, tree spirits, mermaids, Selkie's, pixie's, sirens & dragons 
and other creatures of different parallel worlds - port holes & different realms here on this earth. I feel that the hobbits lived in the same time frame as the Elves, faeries,pixie's, tree spirits , water spirits & more...

Some still live here on earth in deep un-touched forest places like - Ireland - Scotland and parts of England.
But others come from different dimensions or other parallel worlds which there are still able to pass  through from their world to ours...

I love the book that J.RR. TOLKIEN wrote about the hobbit because he has a true feeling of these creatures when they would roam the earth before the humans were in great numbers or even before the humans were here on earth. TOLKIEN gave a real picture of how we humans interacted with both the hobbits - elves - dwarfs and the wizards. He gave a true picture in your mind as you read his book - what it might have been like to be with the -  HOBBITS.
He gives you a story about a beloved character  named Bilbo Baggies & lets you follow his adventures throughout the book. Its show how he goes on a quest for the one ring and how it is brought back to the Shire &  to the next generations of his family to continue the story of the RING....
WITH FRODO - BILBO BAGGIES GREAT NEPHEW...

TOLKIEN - Also wrote 3 continues books  called -  The Lord of the Rings;The fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers,  & The Return of the King.

I have always love the Hobbit as a child and now as an adult even more. I fine that I understand it more. Its wonderful that the author wrote these wonderful books to show that  there is true fantasy in the world today - You just have to open your eyes and believe!   Wendy