How do you deadhead your roses? Listen to the experts and they tell you not to just take of the faded flower but cut further down the stem. For one thing you prune the rose at the same time and keep the rose neat. I confess that the method I use is a mixture of both. Not being a professional gardener with my secateurs in a holster at my hip, I pinch off the faded flowers and when I am at work in the garden I tidy up and finish the job.

My view has always been that it is better to remove the dead flowers when I see them than leave them on (looks better) and anyway, some roses produce their blooms in clusters so you cannot deadhead and prune at the same time. Now, as we know, ideas and fashions in gardening change all the time so it did not come as any great surprise to hear a gardening expert on the radio telling me that research has proven that our roses will come back into bloom quicker if we only nip out the old flower rather than pruning back. Maybe the lesson here is to do whatever your gardening instinct tells you to do.

The latest rose to star in the garden is my Iceberg standard. When it is in full sun it seems to burn your eyes out it is so white and in the early morning light and evening it is like a little beacon.

For anyone who has read my ramblings in the past, it will be clear just how much I love having the garden birds sharing my creation. I just cannot imagine a garden that is not given life by the movement and music of a song bird. To see a variety of bird types gives a sense of satisfaction that maybe I have created an environment that encourages that variety to visit. A couple of weeks ago I spotted a Goldfinches flying through. I have seen brief glimpses in previous years but they have never been a regular visitor. I decided to try to change this and bought a cheap bird feeder that is especially for Niger seed and Goldfinches. Only their tiny beaks can access the seed through the hole in the feeder. 

The feeder was hung using the rules for other feeders, which is where they can be seen but close enough to cover and safety. No visits were seen which was supported by no apparent depletion in seed. The feeder was moved but again no success and so was yet again moved to quite an exposed position hanging in the old Hawthorne Tree just across from my office window. You guessed it; I now have several visits per day by a pair of Goldfinches hanging there like a pair of bookends. Was it worth it? You bet it is, I now have a new bird song to listen to and who would not want to look at these beautiful coloured little birds. They are still a little nervouse and so to date I have only managed to photgraph them through the window.

The Day Lilies are starting to bloom. I am just hoping that the Day Lily Midge is not as troublesome this year although I have already had to remove some infected buds.  

How to Attract Birds to Your Garden
If you're wondering why other's gardens have birds galore and yours is lacking residents, follow these tips and you'll have a feather filled garden in no time.

Feeding Your Garden Birds
Feeding our garden birds has become a very popular pastime. The last think we want to do is harm our birds when all we are trying to do is be kind.

Bird Feeding Frequently Asked Questions
If you are just starting out as a wild bird feeder you probably have many questions in your mind as to whether you are feeding them correctly or doing more harm than good.

Bird Tables
A bird table will be at its most popular and valuable when natural food is in short supply

Bird Feeder Tips
There are many types of wild bird feeder on the market now that you can buy from your local pet shop or pet store.

Planting Your Garden for Birds and Wildlife
This section tells you everything you need to know about planning your garden and selecting, planting and managing trees, shrubs and flowering plants to achieve the maximum potential for birds.

What Can You Feed Your Garden Birds?
Many people when beginning to feed garden birds for the first time have doubts about what can be used as food and have concerns about whether they are doing more harm than good.

Year Round Bird Feeding Regime
If there is one question that comes up regularly in conversations or emails about bird feeding it is "should I feed the birds in summer as well as winter or just the winter months when food is scarce?"

British Garden Birds - The Goldfinch - Goldfinches are one of Britain's most attractive and popular birds and can be seen more and more in gardens and other urban areas. Goldfinches are one of the UK's prettiest birds distinguished easily by their brilliant colours.

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