Greetings!

Well, here we are in a brand new year! The holidays have flown by and now we hope in anticipation for a brighter new year to emerge. Coming from Ohio, I am thankful for the milder winters and early spring we have here in Tennessee. We seem to always be teased with warm spells too which encourages us to spend more time outside when we normally tend to hibernate. Feeding the birds in your backyard this winter is a great way to enjoy nature and helps the birds when their natural food sources are low. This month's newsletter includes a great article on bird feeding including recommendations on where to place your feeders and what to feed the different types of birds. Another way to feed the birds is by planting trees and shrubs that produce winter berries. Winter King Hawthorne, several holly varieties, beauty berry bush, and heavenly bamboo nandina are some that come to mind. These are also plant varieties that have great winter interest too.

So this winter keep warm and enjoy the birds!

Gary and Julie Bridenbaugh

Are you tired of looking at your brown or faded fence as a backdrop to your garden? Consider planting a hedge as an alternative. Popular, and less expensive to install than a traditional fence, hedges have been common in the central and eastern U.S. for decades, especially where properties are larger, and a more natural alternative to property lines is desired.

If you own a home with an existing fence, there are some things you want to keep in mind. First, planting a solid hedge in front of (inside) your fence will make your garden look smaller because it has the effect of bringing your property line closer in. If a fence already exists, consider breaking up the view of the fence instead by planting a taller hedge-type shrub between each pair of fence posts. This will still allow the eye to see the fence line and perceive the full size of your yard.

Next, consider how tall you want your hedge to be at maturity, so that you don't have to prune as much. Often, homeowners make the mistake of selecting plants on looks instead of function, and end up having to prune frequently. If low maintenance is a consideration, make sure to include this as a priority in your selection. Some plants also have thorns that will help keep the neighbor kids out...but aren't much fun when you are pruning.

Finally, consider foliage color and whether or not you want your hedge plants to bloom. Foliage other than green can add interest to a garden and really make it "pop." Flowers can add to the overall look of a hedge but may attract bees. If your hedge is close to a pool or entertainment area, you might want to select a non-blooming variety.

Prized by gardeners for their beauty in the landscape and by flower collectors who proudly display their colorful blooms in elaborate crystal bowls, Camellia japonicas are enjoying renewed popularity across the world. Their classic-shaped flowers herald the spring, and each year new hybrid varieties are introduced to delight collectors everywhere.

Camellias were first introduced from Asia to the West in the early 18th century by a Jesuit priest named George Karl Kamel, from whose name camellia is derived. Since then, plant hunters have been searching for camellia species growing wild in China, Japan and throughout the Pacific Rim. Growers then take these new plants and use them to create new hybrids for the home landscape.

Because camellias are evergreen, they not only make for great focal points in the garden but also can also decorate a deck or patio in containers. They are so versatile they can even be trained on a trellis as an alternative to a shade-tolerant vine. The classic flowers range in shape from loosely petaled double blooms to peony-shaped and more layered formal blooms. The 3-5" blooms are found in colors including white, shades of coral, pink and red, along with many variegated colors. Some varieties are also fragrant.

Unlike their sun-tolerant, winter-blooming sasanqua cousins, japonica camellias prefer filtered shade and bloom from March until June--depending on the local climate. Most grow 6-8' high and wide, and can get even taller with age if not pruned. They also prefer well-amended, fast-draining soil so water doesn't accumulate in their root zones. They prefer to be kept moist--but become drought-tolerant once established.

Camellias require little fertilizer. We recommend waiting until the plants have finished blooming before giving them their first feeding of the year. After flowering, wait for new growth to appear at the ends of branches and then feed every two months with cottonseed meal or an organic acid food through the end of September.

It's the perfect time to see our camellias in all of their spring-blooming glory. We promise you will enjoy their spectacular flowers. But be warned, growing camellias and enjoying their flowers can be addictive!

Many people don't realize that plants can suffer from water stress in winter just as they can in summer--particularly if there is a mild winter. Excessive moisture loss in plants can cause stress, wilting, bud and shoot damage, and even plant failure.

Moisture loss can strike during periods of winter drought, or when plant roots have been disturbed by transplanting too late in winter. It also occurs when drying winds and frozen ground deprive plants of their natural moisture intake.

Most plants have some natural ability to survive the winter cold, provided their roots stay moist and the plant can still take up water. But when normal water intake through the root system is curtailed, plants can suffer. If the ground is left dry, they may not have enough moisture built up in their foliage to survive long periods without absorbing water.

Always check your plants and soil on a weekly basis, even in the winter, especially during any prolonged dry period. Make sure to keep the soil moist--but do not spray the foliage with water. Mulching is very beneficial, both to keep soil moist and to insulate the soil.

For extra protection, consider using an anti-transpirant spray. It can give plants an extra 2-6 degrees of protection, which can be enough to see them through a frost or long periods of water stress. Make sure to spray when temperatures are above freezing so that the spray will not freeze on foliage.

Don't take winter moisture for granted. Keeping an eye on your soil will go a long way toward protecting your plants from winter damage.

One of winter's favorite pleasures is to be inside a warm house and look out at the wild birds flocking to the feeder. I love to refill the feeders in the morning after a storm, pouring out my gifts to the birds. They know what to expect and start flirting into the bare trees around the feeders as soon as I open the door.

Feeding birds at home is like running any successful restaurant: You need a good location, a comfortable, clean space and an appealing menu. Different birds have different tastes. So what you put in your feeder should depend on what you would like to attract. Serve a seed special. The superior sunflower seed is the small black-oil type. Most birds who frequent feeders love them. Mimimize the mess: hulled sunflower seed are more expensive, but there’s less waste left behind. Shrubbery and trees offer quick escape routes if danger flies overhead or pounces from the shadows. A sunny spot out of the prevailing winds- near a small tree or shrubs, with a good view of the house- is a perfect spot for a feeder.

If you are new to feeding birds, you might wonder what to offer. In short, offer seeds and water. Many of the birds we see in winter are seed eaters. They have to be: insects are hard to come by this time of year. By setting up a bird feeding station, you are taking your cue from nature, offering the kind of nourishment that the birds are adapted to. You provide a generous, reliable source of food, and the birds gladly come and help themselves, up close, where it’s convenient for you to watch them.

The hands down favorite bird seed is sunflower. It attracts many types of birds including woodpeckers, jays and finches. Buy the black sunflower seeds, sometimes called oil seeds. Birds prefer them to the grey and white striped sunflower seeds sold for people because they are higher in oil content. They are softer shelled, hence easier to crack open.

The only seed mix I have found my birds like is the dove and quail food. I scatter it on the ground for quail, doves, sparrows and finches. Other seed mixes have too much filler seed and the birds seem to kick it around and eat only what they like. Buy the seeds you know your birds want.

When starting up a feeding program, be patient. It may take as long as several weeks before the birds discover your feeders. While you wait, be sure to keep the feeders filled. Eventually, the birds will come... and then they will come back! Sometimes conscientious people are concerned about whether feeding the birds will harm the birds. Will the birds become dependent on the handouts? And it's often advised that one should only start feeding birds if certain that the feeding can continue uninterrupted all winter.

However, the evidence indicates that feeding is not likely to be bad for birds. They don’t settle in and dine at just one place. Finches, for example, follow a circuit each day, visiting a number of feeders and wild food patches, as we know from studies of banded birds that can be identified individually.

With many households feeding birds, it’s unlikely that a bird will starve because one feeder goes empty. All the same, birds that come into your yard at dusk on a cold evening are hungry, and one does not like to disappoint one’s guests. It’s my pleasure to make sure that they always find something to eat in my yard.

Product Spotlight: Isabel Bloom® Sculptures

For more than fifty years the sculpture of Isabel Bloom has warmed the hearts and brightened the homes, gardens and offices of art lovers and collectors throughout the United States.

Isabel, a Native Iowa artist, who once studied under the watchful eye of American master Grant Wood, favored artistic subjects ranging from playful children to friendly creatures of the air, land and sea. Cast in concrete and hand-finished to resemble weathered bronze garden sculptures of the Victorian era, Isabel's artwork fits comfortably into virtually any home or office decor and is, of course, a beautiful addition to garden and patio settings.

Today the creation of Isabel Bloom sculpture rests in the talented hands of designer Donna Young, Isabel's protégé and artistic collaborator since 1986. Preserving the unique style that survives Isabel's passing in May 2001, Donna has designed many of the most popular sculptures in the Isabel Bloom collection.

We invite you to stop by and see these handcrafted sculptures in person.