BostonZest

Watching Birds, Counting Birds

Some of our favorite city wildlife are the birds that live in Boston's wonderful street and front yard trees. As you walk along the sidewalks, they call out and fly from perch to perch. This little one decided to sit still and let us add an image to our personal Christmas Bird Count.

The Audubon Society says, "From December 14 through January 5 tens of thousands of volunteers throughout the Americas take part in an adventure that has become a family tradition among generations."

Our best guess is that this is a Northern Mockingbird based on one of the photos here. If you have an alternative ID, let us know!

Do you have an up-to-date bird guide in your house? We highly recommend the one from a great local author, David Allen Sibley– The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America.

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: © 2011 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often those comments add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

Meet One Strange Little Flower...

This flower caught our eye on a recent trip to Provincetown. We've since learned that it's called a Cape Daisy, Spoon Daisy, or Pink Whirl. This one seemed more purple than pink and exploring the individual clusters of flowers on the plant was fun.

This cluster was interlaced.

These show the stages of the blossoms.

And, they all had glorious color at their centers. The bees were sure to find the right spot on this flower.

Trying to decide what flowers to plant next season? Here are a few good books on the topic.

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: © 2011 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often those comments add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

Cool Reflections

In the city, those refreshing places that remain quiet and peaceful are precious and rare.

Along the Canoeway on the Esplanade, I spotted this water lily bobbing in the slow moving current. The water around it was a swirling maze of reflections from the trees and sky.

How could I help but think of Monet as I edited this image?

Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: © 2011 Penny Cherubino

What is That Scent in the Air?

Walking across the Mass Ave Bridge yesterday, we could smell a fragrance in the air. As we approached this tree, we remembered that it was time for the linden trees to bloom.

We noticed a lot of hits on our post about stink trees, but there's a vast difference in the aroma of the two species. The linden smells like lime blossoms. In Europe they often call it a lime tree. Here it is also called a basswood.

Ed explained why last year in this post.

Musical Tree Plays Many Tunes

From all around, people write about these fascinating trees. This one from Paris! One West Coast blogger even warns not to park under one or its aphids will do a job on your car!

Find our related posts here.

One of the great books on trees is from local author, David Allen Sibley- The Sibley Guide to Trees.

If you'e still looking for a Father's Day gift how about a gift certificate to buy one of The Sibley Guides?

 

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: © 2011 Penny Cherubino

How Does Your Street “Tree Pit” Grow? Let Her Count the Ways!

Sure, it’s difficult to admit, but come on, when you pass by a Boston street tree that has stunning plantings at its base (or pit), aren’t you just a wee bit envious?

Don’t you start mumbling to yourself that the “tree pit” in front of your place, or down the block, could look like that too, if only you had some time and a few hints on how to get started?

Well, it just so happens that we were talking to street tree guru, and Co-President of the Garden Club of the Back Bay, Jackie Blombach recently, and convinced her to give us:

5 Tips on How to Grow an Enviable Street “Tree Pit”

• Remove all the trash, weeds, and old mulch and gently loosen the soil being careful not to damage large tree roots.

• Add a thin layer (about an inch) of mulch and pull it back 3-4 inches from the tree, leaving a circle of bare soil around the bark.

• “Plant it with annuals or perennials,” said Blombach.  “…treat it like a little container garden.”

• “Do NOT Fertilize!” The city’s tree guide says, “Slow-release fertilizer is added to the soil for new street trees. In addition, never fertilize a tree during mid-to-late-summer.

• Water The Tree. The city recommends about once a week from “spring thaw to winter freeze.”

Blombach estimated that it would take one person an hour for the initial clean up and then 15-30 minutes a week to maintain one tree.

If we’ve ignited your interest, read full story Adopt a Street Tree  from The Back Bay Sun.

A few simple tools are all you need to be a Street Tree Hero!

Gardening Gloves to protect your hands.

A hand cultivator

A watering can or hose

   

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011 Penny Cherubino

Air Spading a Boston Landmark

For the past month, workers have been doing mysterious things on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall at Hereford Street. They’re just completing one of the largest “air spading” projects ever attempted in this area. And, very soon, you’ll start to see results.

If you peer through the temporary fence that surrounds the block, you’ll notice that the soil looks looser, softer, even healthier. That’s partly because it’s been raked, and graded. But, what’s hidden from view are the really important changes below the surface.

To see what it looks like down there, click the "PLAY" button...



If you’ve been inspired and would like to help, The Commonwealth Avenue Mall Committee will welcome your support.

To donate to this project or for more information click this link to: Send an email to the Commonwealth Avenue Mall Committee @CommAveMall@verizon.net.

Thanks.


Details:
Words: Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011 Penny Cherubino
Video: © 2011 Ed Cherubino
Written, Produced & Narrated by: Ed Cherubino

Disclosure: We are members of NABB, and Penny is a member of the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Pubic Garden. Here is our fully detailed Disclosure Policy.   

Someone Didn't Get The Memo....

The color of the day was... Purple!

Do you dream of having a great city garden? Here are a few books that could help. And, thank you to everyone who begins their Amazon shopping here. 

I Garden - Urban Style

Big Ideas for Small Gardens: Featuring Dave Egbert's Garden Notebook

Fresh Food from Small Spaces: The Square-Inch Gardener's Guide to Year-Round Growing, Fermenting, and Sprouting

 

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: © 2011 Penny Cherubino