The first baby hummingbird hatched out yesterday and is as tiny as the size of the egg.
The baby hummingbird has dark skin with what looks like tiny yellow strands of hair on its back. The eyes are still closed and it has a short yellow beak.
Baby Hummingbird.Baby Hummingbird.
Eighteen days later, our baby hummingbird has gained weight and put on real feathers. Its eyes are wide opened, its beak is much longer and darker.
Baby Hummingbird.
Baby hummingbird left the nest for the first time. Realizing it had some difficulties flying back to its nest, we carefully picked it up and placed it back into the nest. I am sure its mother was grateful.
Some of the plants which are currently bursting out with colors in the garden are Daililies, Peony, Agapanthus ‘Storm Cloud,’ Salvia, Sage, Gaura, Snapdragon and rose bushes.
Julia Rose Itoh Peony.
Julia Rose Itoh Peony is one of the newest addition to my front yard garden. I can’t get enough of its gorgeous large flowers with ruffled petals and sweet fragrance.
Julia Rose Itoh Peony.Julia Rose Itoh Peony.
Asparagus Fern always make a nice full display and is a wonderful houseplant too.
Asparagus Fern.Asparagus Fern Flowers.
I am loving the daylilies this year with their vibrant colors.
The Horsetail Reeds in one of my many sliced wine barrels have not been thriving this season. As you can see, the hard to control creeping woodsorrel have equally been competing for water and nutrients. As soon as I manually remove them, I will have stronger and healthier Horsetail Reeds to enjoy.
Horsetail Reeds and Gaura Lindheimeri.
Happy gardening and don’t forget to keep both your plants and yourselves hydrated.
This is the second year my Mimosa Trees have bloomed. Last year was just a test, since I only saw one pink flower the whole summer. I have heard from people that Mimosa is a fast growing plant; mine however, don’t seem to be growing fast. I planted them from seed four years ago and I haven’t had issues with them or heard a single complain about them. And no, the seeds do not germinate everywhere as some might think (at least not here in the High Desert).
I have a huge backyard and I purposely planted multiple seeds in the same hole (in different areas). They are thriving, growing at the same pace and hopefully will provide much needed shade from the sun as they get bigger.
Mimosa Trees.
The puffy soft pink flowers smell wonderful and hummingbirds, butterflies, birds and bees all love mimosa trees. Their leaves are very sensitive and fold at the touch and for the night (it reminds me of the Tamarind plant, Guaiacum Coulteri, Acacia, Averrhoa Bilimbi and Popcorn Cassia, just to name a few). I have heard that the seedpods as well as the seeds within are poisonous at all times, causing seizures and even death.
Pink Mimosa Flowers.
Crab Spiders are indeed fascinating creatures. I found one devouring a bee.
Goldenrod Crab Spider Devouring a Bee.
It’s a lovely day today and we are having a great time in the garden.
I have always been fascinated by hummingbirds and their sizes. I had wished to see a nest, an egg, baby hummingbird and wondered how their nests are constructed. Well, my wish came true early this morning when I almost destroyed the nest thinking it was an abandoned beehive.
Early this year I hung a shabby chic wall candle holders by the car port in the backyard to brighten and liven up those cool soiree nights. Little did I know that it would become an ideal location for a hummingbird to build its nest.
Hummingbird Nest with two eggs.
Their cute little nests are built out of small leaves and twigs, spider silk to bind their nests together as well as lichen.
Hummingbird Nest.
The mother hummingbird patiently watched and waited for me from a distance as I peeked into her nest. A few seconds later, she returned to her nest to incubate her eggs.
Hummingbird Nest.
A couple of months ago, my husband and I watched horrified, helplessly as a hawk trapped a bird sitting on her nest and devoured the mother along with her eggs. The bird’s carcass was then thrown to the ground. This hawk watched the mother bird for days and attacked when it was least expected. Despite the fact that the mother bird built her nest high on a pine branch, well hidden and surrounded by thick and dense branches, she didn’t get a chance.
Can you spot the nest on the picture below?
I hope this hummingbird nest is protected from the elements and from predators. I will be keeping an eye on it too.
Hummingbird Nest.
We are looking forward to see the baby hummingbirds in a few days.
I have been busy all morning tending to my climbing roses (Sweetheart Rose). I pruned and began training the rose canes to the double garden arches leading into my backyard. I will be purchasing another climbing rose and training it up the opposite side of the double arch.
The Ice King Double Daffodils are the first bulbs to bloom this year.
Ice King Double Daffodil.
New Growth on Navajo Globe Willow and Photinia Fraseri ‘Red Robin.’
New Growth.
Azalea is blooming profusely in this Home Depot Lead Gray Resin Antibes Urn.
Azalea Blooms.
Siloam David Kirchhoff Daylily are finally emerging.
Siloam David Kirchhoff Daylily shoots.
I purchased a couple of allen + roth Fiberglass Urns and filled them with Asparagus Fern.
Asparagus Fern.
On Monday we bought two Purpleleaf Plum trees and some shrubs from Mark & Nellie’s Nursery & Landscape and had them delivered within a couple of hours. We planted them in the front yard and moved the Pygmy Date Palm trees to the backyard. I can’t wait for everything to start blooming.
Purpleleaf Plum Tree.
We finally got rid of all the Desert Willows trees around our property except for the one at the end of the backyard, which I am training to grow as single trunk trees. My main concern with the plants are ants. They are fond of Desert Willow trees.
Hungry squirrels have caused a lot of damage in the garden lately. It is always disheartening to watch them devour fresh new growth and gnawing on pretty much anything they dig their teeth into. As new growth emerges from the Gaura Lindheimeri, those rodents have it completely devoured the same day.
By JM Perez
