Month: February 2012

25 Kentucky native plants to attract birds and butterflies

Six years ago when we re-landscaped our backyard it was a challenge to decide which native plants to include. Other folks have told me they’ve struggled with this too.

I’ve updated my website and added some resources. I hope they will help folks who are new to native plants or those who want to add some natives to their existing gardens. There are new images of butterflies and plants in the photo galleries, and I’ve added pages about native plants, butterflies, and the story of our backyard.

Finally, I’ve created a chart of twenty-five of my favorite backyard plants. Here’s a sample.
Continue reading “25 Kentucky native plants to attract birds and butterflies”

Turkey Tail mushrooms

I’ve seen these mushrooms before and called them “little brown ruffles.” I was recently surprised to find them in the backyard and learned they are called Turkey Tail mushrooms (Trametes veriscolor).

Maxine Stone’s Missouri’s Wild Mushrooms and the Mushroom Expert were helpful in identifying them. The amusing name refers to the mushroom’s design and colors that resemble the tail of a strutting wild turkey.

Trametes veriscolor

Continue reading “Turkey Tail mushrooms”

Northern Cardinal for Valentine’s Day

Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) are our favorite backyard birds. They are often referred to as “redbirds” thanks to the male’s vibrant red feathers. Since it’s Valentine’s Day, I’ll focus on the male. However, I think the females with their subtle coloring are just as beautiful and I’ll focus on them another time.

Cardinalis cardinalis sideview

Continue reading “Northern Cardinal for Valentine’s Day”