Gardening beneath bird feeders+my first county fair+upcoming outings
I was always struck by the contrast of the lively commotion of birds visiting feeders and the brown patch below them. So I wrote about it for a birding magazine.
Beautify That Brown Patch Beneath Your Bird Feeders
The illustration above is from my article in the June/July 2025 issue of Birds & Blooms magazine. The idea for the piece grew from the contrast between the colorful, lively birds at my feeders and the sterile brown spot below them. So I pitched my editor at the magazine an article on how to garden in that tricky area.
In the article, I advise using the brown spot as a template for where not to plant. You can leave it alone, or cover it with pavers or smooth medium-sized landscaping stones. That way it can be kept clean with a rake, broom or wet/dry vac.
Then you plant around that spot, leaving an opening wide enough to access the feeders. I suggest low-growing perennial native flowers, grasses and ferns such as cardinal flower, dwarf hairy beardtongue, columbine, and phlox. These plants won’t get high enough for squirrels to use as a launch pad to your feeders. Place the shortest plants near the opening, and continue around the area with plants that will grow taller, with the tallest ones in the back.
Here’s the link to the full article, Surround Bird Feeders with Plants.
A County Fair’s Native Plant Flower Arranging Competition
There are more than 3,000 county fairs in the U.S., and I’d never been to one until I attended the 2025 Monmouth County Fair, in Freehold, N.J., in July.
The Monmouth fair featured all the things one would expect from a county fair: 4-H youth clubs showing small animals, horses and livestock; sheep herding demos; rides; food vendors; live music; touch-a-truck; and lots of municipal service tables with info on elections, health, libraries, veterans services, and workforce development. But the draw for me was the home and garden tent.
After a long relaxing walk from my car through fields, and past show rings and the county park systems’ table (where I snagged brochures for some new-to-me trails), I found the home and garden tent. Inside were displays of prize-winning vegetables, flowers, nature photos, and baked goods. Members of the Central Jersey Beekeepers Association sold honey, and master gardeners advised on composting, rain gardens, and plants. There were demos of woodturning by the Atlantic Shore Woodturners Association, and pottery by the Creative Arts Center. And then there was the Native Plant Society of New Jersey, which was holding its second annual native plant flower arranging competition.
As a freelance writer, my first thought after reading about the event was that it would make for a great article. I mean, how many native plant flower arranging competitions have you heard of? And with native plants becoming so popular, I figured why not pitch it? After a little bit of research, I found a publication that would be a perfect fit for such an article. Off went the pitch, and pretty soon afterward, the editor accepted it. Then I contacted the county’s staff photographer, and she agreed to take some photos.
A little background on Monmouth’s competition: The first year of the flower-arranging event featured five participants who were wrangled off the fairgrounds. This year’s competition saw 16 people pre-register for the 7 p.m. event. On the day of the competition, thunderstorms canceled it, and it was rescheduled til the next day. Still, some seven participants showed up to participate.
The article I’ll write won’t be out til spring. But I wanted to share how the competition was run in the hopes that native plant clubs and nurseries will consider holding this type of event. It engages members and customers, and raises awareness that native plants are as equally beautiful as cultivars.
In a nutshell, here’s how the competition was held:
The Monmouth County Fair’s Native Plant Flower Arranging Competition:
Participants brought their own vases or chose from a fairly large selection.
With one hour to complete their arrangements, each participant could initially choose two stems from four large buckets of cuttings, then three stems, then as many as they wanted.
Using hand pruners provided, they clipped and arranged their creations.
Three master gardeners judged based on originality, construction and appearance.
First, second and third place ribbons were awarded with the remaining competitors receiving an honorable mention ribbon.
Understand that the cuttings were gathered some 20 hours earlier, so they were not exactly at their peak. Still, the finished bouquets were beautiful, and my photo doesn’t do them justice.
Weird, Wonderful Upcoming Outings
It’s never too early to sign up for outings. Here are a few of the ones I’m either keeping an eye on or signing up for. Chances are similar ones are held in your area.
Community gardens are at their peak, and many groups are using them as a backdrop for outdoorsy events. I’m eyeing a Pictionary Party at one. I’m also seeing a fireside drum circle, a 70s dance night, and a flea market, as well as yoga and an opportunity to join the local corn hole league. What are your community gardens up to?
It’s butterfly watching season. Look for outings offered by butterfly, birding and native plant clubs. I have two upcoming ones on my calendar, including one that’s a potluck picnic.
I signed up for an August purple martin sunset cruise on the Maurice River in south Jersey that I’ve already had to cancel due to a schedule conflict. But alas, I found a September tree swallow sunset cruise on the lower Connecticut River to watch a giant communal roost during their fall migration. Here, birds come from miles away, creating a ballet of synchronized flight before settling down for the night. While I’m at it, I may also sign up for their lighthouse cruise in October.
I signed up for a September full moon bike ride from 7pm to 9pm on the Lawrence Hopewell Trail in New Jersey. And if biking’s not your thing, it offers a full moon walk away from the bike riders. There will also be music.
Happy Belated Fourth of July
As we close out July, I hope everyone had a fun July Fourth. I was lucky enough to spend it on the beach in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J. With the sounds of screaming kids on amusement rides on the boardwalk coming from one side and the sight of anchored boats bobbing in the Atlantic Ocean on the other, fireworks could be seen being set off by various towns all along the shore.