Birds of a Feather Flock Together

“If you’re a bird, I’m a bird.”

— The Notebook

Birds in Store at Garden Supply Co.

It’s no wonder folks of all ages continue to incorporate birds into their lives. Bird-watching, ornithology (the scientific study of birds) and conservancy are popular pastimes and a way of life for lots of people around North Carolina. Together with your November outdoor maintenance and transitional holiday decor, think, “What about the birds?”

Garden Supply Co. has unique, hand-crafted bird houses and bird feeders in several designs and for all types of native North Carolina birds. Finches, woodpeckers, wrens, chickadees and nuthatches are just a few of the most beloved birds, aside from the always-attractive cardinal, who need homes this winter. Our gardeners are here to speak with you about the types of birds you intend to invite to your yard. If you enjoy bird-watching, welcome your favorite birds home and install a bird house today!

Feeding your feathered friends will keep them coming back. Appeal to particular birds in our Cary area and shop our selection of specialty seed for finches, cardinals, woodpeckers and more. Keep the squirrels away with the ‘Hot Meats,’ by Coles. This blend is designed to get you more birds and less squirrels. Red bellied and red headed woodpeckers, both of whom have red heads, by the way, will thank you for refilling your suet. Garden Supply Co. has a variety of fruity, nutty suet combinations. Dried mealworms are the perfect high-protein fuel your backyard birds need to hunker down all winter. Find the best price around on All Natural Black Oil Sunflower bird seed, a preferred seed for all birds!

Are you missing the hummingbirds already? Hang one in your tree, display one on your mantle or tuck one in your garland. Create a festive, feathery theme this holiday season and watch the birds from inside the comfort of your home. Advance your table setting with a handsome cardinal serving platter or assemble your centerpiece from our assortment of playful picks and sprays. Owls, cardinals and other enchanted, feathery creatures are hung with care all around our boutique. Ask our design specialists for the most up-to-date inventory, as some of these items are one-of-a-kind! Fly in today and see what’s in store!

Importance of Feeding the Birds in Winter

icy bird

    Did you know seeking food is the main activity in the life of wild birds? It is especially important to provide an available source of food for birds in the harsh winter months when conditions are more extreme and natural food sources like autumn fruits and flying insects are scarce. Knowing the food we supply our feathered friends may be the only source of nutrition for the wild birds in our area is a fact that will keep us pushing our customers to take part in regular winter feedings.

     Choose food varieties such as suet, peanuts, and sunflower seeds. Filling your feeders with high fat content bird food can help the wild birds conserve energy when they need it most. Storing foods high in fat is essential for the birds when ice storms can coat natural food sources like seeds and berries - hindering the birds from eating them.

     We have a great selection of wild bird seed to attract all the species that are indigenous to our area. With our newly expanded birding section, you will also find feeders and housed  to fit any taste.  So cozy up next to your fireplace in the warmth of the indoors and watch the outdoor canvas as your generous food supply attracts wild birds of many species, color, and size. Take even greater joy remembering  what an important part of the birds daily life you are contributing to. 

"A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."

feeders

bird food

birding

Arbor Day 2010

Hi everyone!  With Arbor Day just two short days away, now is the perfect time to consider planting a new tree in your home landscape.  We have a wide range of beautiful trees to chose from down at Garden Supply.  By planting a tree, you will not only be enhancing your own yard, but you will also be helping the environment.  Did you know that trees remove pollutants and dust from the air?  Trees also provide natural insulation- enough to cut your heating and cooling bills by up to 30%.  Come talk to our experts about choosing the perfect tree for your garden, and celebrate Arbor Day with us! Here's a little fun history on Arbor Day.  The first Arbor Day took place on April 10, 1872 in Nebraska.  It was the idea of Julius Morton, a Nebraska journalist and politician.  Throughout his long career, Morton worked to improve agricultural techniques and served as President Cleveland's Secretary of Agriculture.  But his most important legacy is Arbor Day.

Morton felt that Nebraska's landscape and economy would benefit from the wide-scale planting of trees.  He set an example himself by planting orchards, shade trees and wind breaks on his own farm, and he urged his neighbors to do the same.  As a member of Nebraska's state board of agriculture, he proposed that a special day be set aside dedicated to tree planting and increasing awareness of the importance of trees. For Nebraska's first Arbor day, more than one million trees were planted.  A second Arbor Day took place in 1884 and the young state made it an annual legal holiday in 1885.

In the years following that first Arbor Day, Morton's idea spread beyond Nebraska with Kansas, Tennessee, Minnesota and Ohio all proclaiming their own Arbor Days. Today, all 50 states celebrate Arbor Day. Arbor Day is also now recognized in other countries, with variations being celebrated in Australia, Japan, Israel, Korea, Yugoslavia, Iceland, and India.  Sometimes one good idea can make a real difference.  For more information about this holiday, please visit the Arbor Day Foundation.

Over the next few days, I'll share a few simple Arbor Day crafts and activities you can do with your kids at home that will foster a love of trees that will last a lifetime.

This fun pine-cone bird feeder is a snap to make and would be perfect to hang in your newly- planted commemorative Arbor Day tree. Here's what you'll need to get started.

• A large, open pine cone
• Vegetable shortening, lard, or suet
• Oats or corn meal
• Bird seed
• String

Simply tie a few feet of string to the pine cone and then cover the cone with the food mixture below. Roll the pine cone in birdseed and then hang it from a tree branch outside.

Food Mixture:

Mix 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, lard or suet with 21/2 cups cornmeal or uncooked oats until well blended. Optional: add chopped dried fruit, chopped nuts, seeds like sunflower or millet, and/or suet which are high energy bird foods.

Thanks for stopping by everyone!  I'll see you back here tomorrow for more great Arbor Day ideas.