I've planted some mulberry trees and some American Cranberry Bushes. The ACBs are mature enough to produce berries, but the mulberries will take a few more years in the ground because I started them from whips. I usually provide fruit on a sturdy plastic plate on the patio table. This is a typical menu: apple chunks, a dollop of grape jam, a slice of orange, and raisins soaked over night. If they're on sale, I might throw in some red seedless grapes cut in half. As I said, mockingbirds adore the jam, but so do catbirds if you have them. They as well as cardinals and jays will eat the apple chunks. The orange slice is a favorite for woodpeckers and flickers, the Terminators of the ant world. Robins will come for the raisins and grapes. In the summer, put out the fruit just after you're finished gardening. It makes great after work entertainment and the robins will stick around for hours later to see what other edibles you have around the house. By the time a few months go by, they'll start coming around just when they see you outside with a shovel! There are many birds that eat insects during the summer but not during the winter, hummingbirds for example. So I would suggest having a good all around feeder set up to attract the most clients as possible. :)

I am so happy to see your pictures again! I was here back then, but mostly lurking, which I still do a lot because I am not very good about id-ing my plants since the dogs destroyed my labels and I gave up There are a few I know the names of, but not too many. You were one of my secret mentors when I started my hosta planting! I am sorry your 'When I Dream' was a disappointment, but there is so much to love about your gardens! Thank you for that!!!

Ron, came across your post which I missed before...what a beautiful place you have. I am in the midst of planting shade companion plants, so appreciate your thoughts on light for the list you have. Hope you will keep posting pics! Oh, forgot...the potted hostas that you overwinter in the garage...do you have any special tricks for overwintering? I have done it 3-4 years now with about an 85% rate, but I'd like to improve on that because I do not like losing even one! I overwintered some out in our shed this last year instead of the garage, and the mice got into them and I lost a bunch. My biggest problems have to do with springtime moisture levels...I do not water them at all in the garage, come spring, I try to make sure at least 1/2 have broken dormancy before going outside. (Leave them in the garage too long, they dry out and die, water them in the garage, or take them out too early, they can rot.) Would love to hear how you handle yours. For this next year, I'm thinking about giving each small one an ice cube in Feb/March. Just to add some moisture back in as the weather warms up.

Yes, there are 70 in that garden alone and I have 10 in the garden at the side of the house. We moved in in December and I am trying to make the yard and house look great. The scary part is that this is my first year for Hosta - imagine how many more I will have in a few years. It is addicting! I have several more gardens planned. So, we'll see what happens. The dogs know to stay out of the gardens and are very good and obedient. We are breeding Jinjur to a boy in Belgium in the fall and will have a litter of pups then. I'm looing forward to a third pup for me. Daniel