[NatureNS] Shrubs and Plants

Date: Fri, 02 May 2008 08:32:49 -0400
From: "Paul S. Boyer" <psboyer@eastlink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Cc: Melvina Weatherby <derrickweatherby@eastlink.ca>
References: <000801c8ac0e$2a286870$6901a8c0@melvinapc>
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Believe it or not, plane old bayberry (Northern Bayberry, Myrica =20
pensylvanica) is eaten by many birds.  It is a native, and does well =20
in poor soil.

Shadbush is a good native bush (Amelanchier various species).  I have =20=

two species growing naturally on our property (I think one is A. =20
arborea, and the other is A. canadensis).  It blooms very early in =20
spring, and produces small fruit which hang on into winter, providing =20=

food for numerous birds.

The problem is finding the local species in nurseries!  Most garden =20
shops prefer to carry weird varieties.  There is (as far as I know) no =20=

good, native-plant nursery in the entire Halifax area.  (Please, =20
someone prove me wrong!)  There is one in P.E.I.  =
(http://www.macphailwoods.org/nursery/attwild.html=20
).

You can refer to the Flora of Nova Scotia to get a good idea of which =20=

North American plants will do well in Nova Scotia.

If you are making a garden, there are whole books and websites on =20
attracting butterflies.

Although they are not strictly native, old crab-apple trees (most of =20
them accidental volunteers) are great for birds, if you do not spray =20
the trees (which kills the insects).  In the spring, the blossoms are =20=

infested with various grubs which the birds seek greedily.  When the =20
cold seasons arrive, the fruit, shriveled and spoiled from our =20
perspective, is a life-saver for birds in the winter.  The wild crab-=20
apples are better for wildlife than the nursery varieties, which =20
generally have blossoms which are showy, but don't last long enough to =20=

acquire a good population of grubs; and the fruit is small, hard, and =20=

unattractive to birds.

=97Paul Boyer


On May 2, 2008, at 12:37 AM, Melvina Weatherby wrote:

> I will be out shopping soon for  shrubs and anything I can plant  =20
> for birds and butterfly to enjoy.
>   Could you help me out by giving me some plant names to purchase , =20=

> Thank in advance.
>
>    Melvina Weatherby
> derrickweatherby@eastlink.ca
>


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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div>Believe it or not, plane =
old bayberry (Northern Bayberry, <i>Myrica pensylvanica</i>) is eaten by =
many birds. &nbsp;It is a native, and does well in poor =
soil.</div><div><br></div><div>Shadbush is a good native bush =
(<i>Amelanchier</i> various species). &nbsp;I have two species growing =
naturally on our property (I think one is <i>A. arborea, </i>and the =
other is<i> A. canadensis</i>). &nbsp;It blooms very early in spring, =
and produces small fruit which hang on into winter, providing food for =
numerous birds.</div><div><br></div><div>The problem is finding the =
local species in nurseries! &nbsp;Most garden shops prefer to carry =
weird varieties. &nbsp;There is (as far as I know) no good, native-plant =
nursery in the entire Halifax area. &nbsp;(Please, someone prove me =
wrong!) &nbsp;There is one in P.E.I. &nbsp;(<a =
href=3D"http://www.macphailwoods.org/nursery/attwild.html)">http://www.mac=
phailwoods.org/nursery/attwild.html)</a>.</div><div><br></div><div>You =
can refer to the <i>Flora of Nova Scotia</i> to get a good idea of which =
North American plants will do well in Nova =
Scotia.</div><div><br></div><div>If you are making a garden, there are =
whole books and websites on attracting =
butterflies.</div><div><br></div><div>Although they are not strictly =
native, old crab-apple trees (most of them accidental volunteers) are =
great for birds, if you do not spray the trees (which kills the =
insects). &nbsp;In the spring, the blossoms are infested with various =
grubs which the birds seek greedily. &nbsp;When the cold seasons arrive, =
the fruit, shriveled and spoiled from our perspective, is a life-saver =
for birds in the winter. &nbsp;The wild crab-apples are better for =
wildlife than the nursery varieties, which generally have blossoms which =
are showy, but don't last long enough to acquire a good population of =
grubs; and the fruit is small, hard, and unattractive to =
birds.</div><div><br></div><div>=97Paul =
Boyer</div><div><br></div><div><br><div><div>On May 2, 2008, at 12:37 =
AM, Melvina Weatherby wrote:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: =
rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; =
font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; =
line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; =
text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: =
0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: =
auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div bgcolor=3D"#ffffff"><div><font =
face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2">I will be out shopping soon for&nbsp; shrubs =
and anything I can plant&nbsp; for birds and butterfly to =
enjoy.</font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2">&nbsp; Could you =
help me out by giving me some plant names to purchase , Thank in =
advance.</font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" =
size=3D"2">&nbsp;</font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" =
size=3D"2">&nbsp;&nbsp; Melvina Weatherby</font></div><div><font =
face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2"><a =
href=3D"mailto:derrickweatherby@eastlink.ca">derrickweatherby@eastlink.ca<=
/a></font></div><div>&nbsp;</div></div></span></blockquote></div><br></div=
></body></html>=

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