Hummingbird favorites – Plants hummingbirds love

-by Debra Anchors

Hummingbirds see colors the same as we do, but they have no sense of smell.  They’re drawn to bright colors like red, hot pink, fire orange, and gold, but they explore other colors of flowers, too. Hummingbirds visit both large and small flowers; wherever there’s nectar.

Gloriosa lily (Gloriosa superba)

Along with hibiscus, one of the hummingbird’s favorite large flowers is Gloriosa lily (Gloriosa superba).  This is a vine with tendrils at the tips of its leaves; it can climb to a height of six to eight feet.  Flowering lasts for a month or more in midsummer.  Gloriosa lily isn’t hardy, but it’s easy to keep it from year to year, because it forms tubers.  Dig them up in the fall, keep them cool and dry all winter, and replant them in the spring.

Crocosmia 'Lucifer' (Crocosmia cvs.)

‘Lucifer’, with bright red flowers, is one of the most popular cultivars of Crocosmia or montbretia (Crocosmia cvs.).  Other cultivars have orange, gold, or bicolored flowers.  All are showy and easy to grow from corms that you can buy and plant in the spring.  Once established, crocosmias spread quickly and form impressive clumps or patches with armloads of flower spikes and distinctive sword-shaped leaves.  They’re hardy across the southern United States and thrive in average soil.

Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is a hardy wildflower native to wet, even swampy sites.  It needs partial shade, rich soil, and extra watering in the garden, but under those conditions it’s quite tolerant of heat and blooms for a month or so in late summer.  Along with the wild type, there are some incredible hybrid cardinal flowers, with very dramatic spikes of red, blue, or purple flowers.  Hummingbirds love them all.


You can always make your own hummingbird nectar; find a recipe here.

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Thank you for stopping by to spend time in my garden.  If you liked the article, please take a moment to let me know. I will be delighted if you would suggest Gardens Inspired to your friends, follow me or subscribe to my Blog.

Leave a legacy, but garden like you’ll live forever! 
-Debra

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Natural sunburn relief recipes

-by Debra Anchors

Often we are so excited to be outside enjoying summer’s activities that we forget to protect our skin.  What may start out as a relaxing afternoon in the garden can turn into a night of tender, painful sunburn.

To alleviate the discomfort of red and inflamed skin, try the following recipes.  To determine your skin’s sensitivity, perform a “patch test”, first.  The ingredients in these natural home remedies are fresh and unpreserved so can be unpredictable on an individual basis.  Always use clean equipment and ingredients that have been thoroughly washed.  Remember to discard each of these recipes after the amount of time specified.



Rosemary-Oatmeal Sunburn Bath:

Sunburn not only hurts, it also tightens the skin and causes itching.  This rosemary bath is a treatment for the entire body, provides a soothing effect, and reduces overall body pain.  The oatmeal, with moisturizing vitamins B and E, relieves itching and irritation due to dryness; the black tea, used in many sunburn treatments, helps cool the body and draw the heat away. This bath is recommended for use at least once a day for the first few days after becoming sunburned.

  1 cucumber
  4 cups oatmeal
10 black tea bags
  2 tablespoons rosemary leaves

Puree the cucumber in a blender.  In a mixing bowl, combine the cucumber with all other ingredients and stir until mixed.  The mixture will be slightly dry.  With warm water running, empty the mixture into the bath, right under the faucet.  Let the mixture disperse in water as the bath fills.  Soak in the bath for up to 1 hour, if possible.  Use several times daily, as needed.  Try this method immediately after being sunburned.  Makes enough for 1 bath.

Lemon Oolong Tea Sunburn Treatment:

Once again, tea comes to the rescue of sunburn pain and swelling.  This treatment helps the skin heal faster and feel better more quickly.  Oolong, a fermented tea that is not as dark as black tea, brings consistent relief from the pain and blistering caused by sunburn. Oats contain soothing vitamins B and E, cucumber and lemon are refreshers, and vinegar also acts as a soothing agent.  Use this as often as necessary throughout the first 24 hours after overexposure to the sun.

3-½ cups water
6 Oolong tea bags
1-tablespoon quick rolled oats
½ cup chopped cucumber (do not peel)
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon white vinegar

Bring 3 cups of the water to a boil and immerse all 6 Oolong tea bags; remove from heat and let steep for ½ hour; let cool and remove the tea bags.  In a small bowl, combine ½ cup water with oatmeal and stir together until mixed; strain mixture through a paper towel, saving liquid and discarding oats.  In a blender, mix 1 tablespoon of the oatmeal liquid together with cucumber, lemon extract, and vinegar.  Blend on medium speed for 1 minute, or until pureed.  Strain mixture through a paper towel, saving liquid.  In a bowl, stir together strained liquid and liquid tea.  Saturate a cloth or towel with the solution and place it on any sunburned areas for 15 minutes.  Reapply if necessary until skin begins to feel relief.  To help reduce blistering, this treatment must be applied immediately after burning. Discard after use.

Black Tea Sunburn Treatment Masque:

This creamy, smooth masque will coat sunburned skin and provide first aid with soothing, healing relief.  Grapes are a natural soothing agent, bringing relief and healing to the skin from vitamins A and C.  In this recipe they help to reduce redness and inflammation of the shoulders, neck, and legs.  The cucumber and baking soda act as soothing agents as well, and the black tea serves to heal.

1 black tea bag
1-cup water
8 seedless grapes
½ cucumber, chopped (do not peel)
1-teaspoon baking soda

Steep tea bag in 1 cup boiling water.  Remove from heat and let cool; remove the tea bag.  In a blender, mix tea with other ingredients on low speed for 20 seconds, or until smooth.  Apply to affected areas (this masque is not intended for the entire body, just specific zones, including shoulders, neck, backs of knees, thighs).  Let sit for 25 minutes and rinse with lukewarm water.  Cover and refrigerate immediately; discard after 4 days.  Makes 1 cup.

If you enjoy this website, you might like my magazine, Gardening Life.

Thank you for stopping by to spend time in my garden.  If you liked the article, please take a moment to let me know. I will be delighted if you would suggest Gardens Inspired to your friends, follow me or subscribe to my Blog.

Leave a legacy, but garden like you’ll live forever! 
-Debra

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Tropical flowers for containers

-by Debra Anchors

No need to miss out on growing tropical plants when you live in the northern, colder gardening climates.  There are many beautiful plant varieties that can easily be grown in pots. Passionflower, Gardenia, Mandevilla, and Star-Cluster are beautiful when nurtured in northern container gardens; but the three stunners below are some of my favorites.

Angel's Trumpet

Angel’s Trumpet

If you want something really impressive, grow an angel’s trumpet. Several types are available, with huge single or double flowers in shades of lavender, pink, orange, gold and white.  They release a penetrating, sweet aroma at night.  These plants grow fast and make bushy specimens with thick tree-like trunks.  The leaves are attractive to spider mites and white flies, so watch out for these pests.  Be warned that all parts of the plants are poisonous.

Oleander

Oleander

Often used for hedges in hot climates, oleanders are typically large shrubs, but “Petite Pink” and other compact cultivars grow well in pots.  Oleanders bloom all summer with clusters of single or double flowers in shades of red, pink, salmon, cream or pure white.  It’s tempting to touch the soft petals and smooth, dark green leaves of an oleander, but wash your hands well afterward, because all parts of these handsome plants are poisonous.

Tropical Hibiscus

Tropical Hibiscus

Most cultivars of the tropical, or Chinese, hibiscus are sturdy, erect shrubs that grow several feet tall but are easily maintained in containers.  What varies are the flowers, which can be single or double, two to ten inches wide, in shades of white, red, orange, pink, yellow, and bicolor.  Some of the colors are almost fluorescent.  Hummingbirds regularly visit the single red flowers, and explore other kinds, too.


You may enjoy this, another article I wrote to suggest tropical plants for your garden, Tropical Plants – The exotic garden.


If you enjoy this website, you might like my magazine, Gardening Life.

Thank you for stopping by to spend time in my garden.  If you liked the article, please take a moment to let me know. I will be delighted if you would suggest Gardens Inspired to your friends, follow me or subscribe to my Blog.

Leave a legacy, but garden like you’ll live forever! 
-Debra

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Plant delicious backyard strawberries

-by Debra Anchors

"One must ask children and birds how cherries and strawberries taste."  - JW von Goethe

There are four types of strawberries:  June-bearers, Ever-bearers, Day-neutral and Alpine.  Why not try them all in your garden?

Allstar Strawberry

June-bearers are susceptible to day length and temperature, and produce only one big crop in June. These berries – perfect for eating fresh, and for jam and freezing – are most often planted in large beds and are replanted every few years.

Ever-bearers are similar to June-bearers, but less sensitive to day length.  This variety produces a large crop of berries in June and a smaller crop in the fall.

Day-neutral plants form flower buds and produce fruit from spring through fall; day length is of no concern.  These berries are usually planted as annuals.  The fruit is smaller than typical of other varieties, but is of premium quality.  Plants resist disease but do not grow or produce well in hot climates.

Alpines are selected from wild European strains.  The plants may be started from seed or can be purchased as nursery-grown starts.  The fruit is quite small with intense flavor.  Alpines do not produce runners and prefer shade and cool conditions.

Here are 10 excellent strawberries to grow in your garden:

June-Bearers:
Allstar	Plants produce large, sweet berries and are disease resistant; they grow best in the Northeast, Midwest, and eastern Canada.
Cardinal	Has large, flavorful fruits;  a good choice for the Southeast and Midwest.
Honeoye	Grow well in the Northeast and Midwest; best in light soils.  Great flavor.
Sequoia	Very large, dark red berries with very good flavor. Behaves like an ever-bearer, but is actually an extremely long season spring-Bearer

Ever-Bearers:
Ozark Beauty	Traditional classic with large berries; good for the Midwest and Northeast USA.
Quinault	Berries have a great flavor; plants are very disease resistant and produce best for the Northwest and Northern California.

Day-Neutral:
Tribute	Plants are vigorous, with medium-size berries.  They are resistant to red stele and powdery mildew.
Tristar	Produces fairly small berries but with great flavor; vigorous.  Resistant to red stele and verticillum wilt.

Alpine:
Alexandria	The most common red alpine strawberry; has small mounding plants with no runners.
Rugen Improved	Small, mounding plants produce fruits larger than most; no runners.

If you enjoy this website, you might like my magazine, Gardening Life.

Thank you for stopping by to spend time in my garden.  If you liked the article, please take a moment to let me know. I will be delighted if you would suggest Gardens Inspired to your friends, follow me or subscribe to my Blog.

Leave a legacy, but garden like you’ll live forever! 
-Debra

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