Gardening
Plan and Plant a Hummingbird Garden
A hummingbird dining on the nectar of phlox.
Photo courtesy of MelindaMyers.com
Whether you are making some late additions to your gardens or planning for the future include some hummingbird-favorite plants. Select plants and create combinations to attract and support them with a season-long supply of nectar.
Hummingbirds consume an average of two to three times their weight in nectar each day. Providing feeders and an abundance of flowers throughout the season will support the hummingbirds and help attract them to your gardens. Keep this in mind as you add plants to your landscape.
Shrubs like azalea, lilac, weigela, buttonbush, and Rose-of-Sharon provide shelter for birds and nectar-filled flowers for hummingbirds and other pollinators to enjoy. The North American native honeysuckle vine adds vertical interest and hummingbird appeal even in small spaces. Major Wheeler is a cultivar of the native honeysuckle vine that blooms all summer and is more resistant to powdery mildew. Watch as the hummingbirds munch on any aphids that attack this plant. They are great pest managers to have in the garden.
Another native vine, the trumpet vine, is a vigorous grower that can be trained into a small tree or onto a trellis. This plant will send out suckers requiring some regular maintenance. Be patient as it can take several years for this vine to begin flowering. Avoid overfertilization which results in an even bigger plant and no flowers.
Shorter vines, like the hummingbird's favorite cardinal vine, make excellent thrillers in containers. Train them onto a decorative support and grow them in their own pot or combine them with other annuals.
Include perennials for added seasonal beauty and nectar. Early blooming lungwort is shade tolerant and provides some of the earliest nectar for these winged beauties. Leave the white or lavender flowers on your hostas for the hummingbirds. This popular shade-tolerant plant is often overlooked for its hummingbird appeal.
Garden phlox and bee balm are both hummingbird favorites that add color and nectar to the summer garden. Look for powdery mildew-resistant varieties or plant them among other tall plants to hide any discolored foliage that may occur. North American native anise hyssop and liatris are two more favorites you may want to include.
Fill vacant spots in the garden, containers, or hanging baskets with annuals known to attract hummingbirds. Fuchsias, begonias, and impatiens are perfect for shady locations. Cupheas are often sold under the common names, tiny mice and cigar plant, and prefer a sunnier location. The taller blue horizon ageratum, geranium, bidens, tall verbena, and petunias grow well in gardens and containers.
Both perennial and annual salvias attract hummingbirds. Place a pot or two of Black and Blue, Black and Bloom, and Wendy's Wish near your windows, so you can enjoy the frequent visits of your resident hummingbirds.
Add one or more feeders to your landscape. Provide space between the feeders as hummingbirds are territorial. Make sure there is cover within 10 to 15 feet. Fill the container with a 1-part sugar to 4-part water solution. Replace the mixture and clean the feeders every few days. This provides additional food for the hummingbirds and viewing opportunities for you.
It may take a couple of years for the hummingbirds to find your nectar-filled garden. In the meantime, you will enjoy the flowers and other pollinators that stop by to dine.
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including The Midwest Gardener's Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses "How to Grow Anything" DVD series and the nationally-syndicated Melinda's Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Her web site is www.MelindaMyers.com.
Antiques
The 411 on Antique and Vintage Telephones
Photo courtesy of Wayne Tuiskula
Before discussing vintage and antique telephones, a friendly reminder that the Brimfield Flea Market will take place from July 11th through the 16th.
You may remember learning about the invention of the telephone during grade school history classes. In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell spoke the first words over a telephone when he told his assistant: "Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you."
However, there's debate about whether Bell is deserving of all the credit. The Library of Congress website states that Antonio Meucci began developing a talking telegraph in 1849. He filed a caveat (aka notice of an invention) in 1871, but he couldn't pursue his invention due to economic hardships. His work was overlooked for many years, but in 2002 the United States House of Representatives passed a resolution honoring Meucci and his contributions to the telephone. Some historians have also reported that Elisha Gray, a professor at Oberlin College, applied for a caveat for the telephone the same day as Bell. Bell's attorney reached the patent office first though and recorded the fifth patent of the day while Oberlin's invention was the 39th.
In 1876, Bell developed transmitters and receivers to use his new technology. The styles later evolved into what we're more familiar with today. Maximiliano Augusto Herrmann invented the wooden wall telephone in 1880. Later models typically have a crank, an earpiece/receiver on a cradle, and a speaker on the front. The candlestick telephone was developed in the 1890s. It's shaped like a candlestick with a cradle and features a receiver on the side plus a mouthpiece on the front similar to wood wall phones. The first candlestick phones had no dial. When you picked up the phone, you'd be connected to an operator who routed your call. Telephone styles kept up with design trends. During the 1930s, art deco telephones with round or tapered bases fit in well with other art deco objects in many homes. In the 1950s, telephones started coming in a variety of colors.
Here are some recent auction values for old telephones. Two candlestick telephones sold for $45 and $70 each recently at auction. Two oak wall telephones recently reached $100 and $120.
As with other antiques and collectibles, rarer pieces can be very valuable. A circa 1881 model of Alexander Graham Bell's telephone sold for $30,000 in August 2018. A circa 1879 American Speaking Telephone Co. Subscriber Set with Edison carbon transmitter and Phelp's Pony Crown receiver brought $45,000 in March 2022. A very ornate wall Ericsson Telephone for the Royal Castle in Oslo dialed up a strong price selling for €60,000 ($65,588 USD) in November 2021.
Our next online auction begins this week, and will feature candlestick telephones, deco telephones, and a pink pay phone. There's also a wide range of other items including gold and costume jewelry, sterling silver, nautical paintings and memorabilia, other art, pocket watches, stoneware, duck decoys, antique firearms, and more. Bidding will end in July. Please visit our website www.centralmassauctions.com for links to upcoming events.
Please contact us at: www.centralmassauctions.com (508-612- 6111) info@centralmassauctions.com for antiques and collectibles auction services.