Got my Nelly Stevens Holly delivered and planted outside my study yesterday. Hopefully in addition to beautifying the yard, it will draw in some fruit-eating birds. I don't have any right now.
Also bought a birdbath/fountain for the coming summer heat. Come Aug, it might be more popular with the birds than the feeders.
I'm pulling out my pansies, kale and phlox today and replacing with summer color.
The birdbath.
Very nice reddirt!
Looks like a bird paradise.
Wow their both beautiful Red!
Wow! That's a beautiful holly tree!
Does it need a male pollinator to get berries every year or is it self-pollinating?
Looks like you have a fun project going!
It needs a little pruning, but I'm not going to start hacking on it until it's established. I'll drive some fertilizer stakes around it in the next few days and thicken it up.
tabasco, the Nellie Stevens holly is a self-pollinator. This plant has an interesting history. It's named after a schoolmarm (1886-1942) from Oxford, MD. She pocketed some berries on a visit to the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington in 1900. Unknown to her, the plant was a chance cross between Chinese holly and English holly, probably due to cross-pollination by bees. The existence of the hybrid was not known outside the Stevens family until 1952.
Nellie's niece went to a meeting of a local garden club where the program happened to be on hollies. The speaker was invited to come see the Stevens hollies and identify them. He couldn't, and experts from the America Holly Society couldn't either. It was then they figured out this was a new plant.
Don't bother with fertiliser spikes, they're a scam and a complete waste of money. If a soil test shows a fertiliser is needed (which is very unlikely), use a broadcast granular fertiliser (a tenth of the price, and reaches the roots much more effectively). But also adding fertiliser to a newly planted tree can do more harm than good, as it reduces water uptake, and that's far more critical for a newly planted tree.
Resin
Both the tree and bird bath are beautiful Red...I know the birds will appreciate both of them.
That is very interesting about the Holly Tree. My dentist has 5 of them planted outside the torture room and when I was there about a month ago I saw a Mockingbird eating the berries. No one there knew if the tree needed a male so you have answered my question! That is sure a great tree and I know you will get some great shots of the birds using it!
Resin, my experience with fertilizer stakes is different from yours. I've had young trees and evergreens here that were pale and sickly looking and within weeks of driving Miracle Grow stakes around the broad-leafs and Jobe's Evergreen stakes around the junipers and yews they are blue green. Look at the juniper and yew behind that birdbath. They get one every 90 days.
So far as cost, I'm not that concerned about a few bucks to have a good looking yard.
Fascinating story about the 'Nellie R. Stevens' holly seeds. How do people remember back to what happened in 1900 I wonder?
Here's a link on that particular variety: http://www.fast-growing-trees.com/NellieStevensHolly.htm
It says it grows up to 3 feet per year. Quite fast so I might want several for a privacy screen.
I bought "honeymooner" hollies at Costco for my garden. Self-pollinators, too. I hope they make loads of berries for the birds.
Also the landscaper planted 5 other 'blue girl' (?) hollies but he didn't bring a 'blue boy' along to keep them company. (What was he thinking!?) I wonder if the 'honeymooners' I bought will do the job for them, too. Anybody know?
I just googled it but can't find that particular answer. Maybe ask Viburnum Valley.
Build it and they will come.
Another shot. These are such beautiful birds. I hope they have my holly marked on their GPS for a visit again in the fall.
This message was edited Apr 24, 2009 11:26 AM
How cool is that!! Congrats Red...I am so jealous with a capitol J!!!
Also had a Mockingbird out there eating berries this a.m. Although they are common around here, I haven't seen one in my yard before. Haven't seen a thing on the birdbath, but there is plenty of water around here.
I am happy that the birds have found your bush so quickly. Good to know that it was so quick.
Oh that's wonderful! Congratulations Red!
Had a surgery last Thursday and not up to full speed. Feeling much better today. I didn't get around to posting the Waxwings picking up the last berries off the ground. They prefer not to feed on the ground, but guess they will if that is the only berries around.
Still haven't seen a thing on the birdbath. Maybe I'll put some guppies in it and make it a fish bowl.
Still haven't seen a thing on the birdbath. Maybe I'll put some guppies in it and make it a fish bowl.
