Creative Garden - Creating a Bird-Friendly Haven in Your Garden

Creating a Bird-Friendly Haven in Your Garden

Welcome to my garden, a sanctuary where creativity meets nature. One of my primary goals is to provide a comfortable environment for birds, allowing them to thrive and build their nests. In today's video, I'll take you on a tour of the birds favorite spots. 

One of the key elements in attracting birds is offering trees of varying heights. By doing so, I provide them with options for nesting. The diversity of trees in my garden ensures that different bird species can find their perfect nesting grounds.

Apart from providing trees of varying heights, offering a plentiful food supply is another crucial aspect of attracting and sustaining birds in the garden. In my garden, the tall pomegranate trees have a unique purpose. Some of them have split open, rendering them unsuitable for human consumption. However, these fruits make perfect feeding stations for the birds. Their high water content makes them a refreshing treat, especially during hot days we have been getting - with more to come!.

Observing the birds enjoying the environment as they build their nests is also a fascinating process, and you can witness some of the materials birds use from the garden. They incorporate cotton and grass, both of which I have intentionally placed in various spots and every so often they find some strips of fabric that are also added to the nest. 

The birds also aid in insect control. Birds are natural predators, and their appetite for insects helps maintain the balance in the garden. I am grateful for their presence as they munch on insects, keeping their populations in check. Without them, I would likely encounter more issues with pests in my garden.

Birds aren't the only garden helpers - we have lizards, toads, and at dusk the bats come out. Lizards also play a vital role in insect control. I'm fortunate to have a diverse array of lizard species residing in my garden. They diligently feast on insects, including moths, contributing to the overall harmony.

I am privileged to host an array of bird species, including wood pigeons, hummingbirds, parakeets, and several other varieties. The bird song creates a symphony that resonates throughout the garden in the early hours of the morning.  It's a joy to witness these birds in their element, congregating and making themselves at home.

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey. I look forward to sharing more delightful moments from my garden with you in future blog posts. Until then, remember to take a moment to appreciate the beauty and diversity that surrounds us in the natural world. Happy gardening, and may your garden become a thriving sanctuary for both humans and feathered friends alike.

Pantone Color of the Year 2017 and Visit to St Nicholas Abbey, Barbados - Greenery Inspiration

I am taking part in the Creative Arts Collaboration Facebook Group color challenge, which starts today and our posts and videos will be inspiration around the Pantone Color of the Year 2017 which is Greenery.

I shared in a previous post all the various things in my studio that share the same color HERE, and here are some of the images from the post, in which you can see the color and many shades popping up.

Greenery around the studio

I do find the color both inspiring and relaxing at the same time.

And I was quite surprised at how many examples of the color I do have around my studio space and that I use in my art.

Sneak Peak at some artwork in the studio

I wanted to share with you in this post a sneak peak at some of the art work that I am going to share with you in a few days, but to also look at a visit I made with my family to St Nicholas Abbey, Barbados.  We will look at some of the very obvious examples of 'Greenery' as St Nicholas is set in a lush environment, and the not so obvious examples of the color showing up.

St Nicholas Abbey is one of the islands oldest surviving plantations, set in over 400 acres of cane fields, tropical gullies, mahogany forests and formal gardens...... for more information click HERE

We paid them a visit to take in a tour of the grounds and see how the rum was made with brother-in-law Mike, hubby - Alan and Son Sekani.  

Enjoying the grounds we spent quite a while wandering round

We got to see how the rum was made, had a taste or two and walked leisurely around the gardens which was very beautifully maintained.  It is owned by Anna and Larry Warren who we met, and Anna showed us where they bottled the rum, all done by hand, the bottles engraved and enjoyed all over the world.

Anna Warren and Amanda Trought-Springer (St Nicholas Abbey) Surrounded by Greenery

Anna shows us some of the many things produced from the sugar and packed by hand

I do recommend that you go and visit if you are ever in St Peter, Barbados.  While I was at St Nicholas Abbey I looked out for examples of the - Pantone Color of the Year for 2017 which is Greenery and indeed it was all around.  I took some obvious and not so obvious shots.

We took in everything

I picked out the color every where I went, from the hazy green on the walls in the corridor, to the air exposed corrosion on metal which gave a pale green color...

All the little detail - the stories to tell..

Around the grounds we saw many examples of Greenery

an inspiring color

where the sugar canes were crushed and the juice squeezed out, machinery maintained, moss finding a home, blending in, memories implanted in the brickwork,

color in places you might not normally notice

 walking around the grounds, very peaceful hearing the wind dancing in between the leaves, telling a different story from long ago.  

take your time and soak in the environment

Seeing the color in the rum soaked scotch bonnet peppers, as they loose their redness  and fade to green to the delicate leaves painted on the crockery in the restaurent.  Look out of any window and catch the color!

Visitors always welcome!

Light hits the etched glass, reflections past and bounces off the leaves that danced and wave through the windows.

A final good bye at Cherry Tree Hill will pull you back so much more to see ... next time!

Last views at Cherry Tree Hill

Tour done, I end my day at home with a cup of Earl Gray tea and a little something sweet!

Might have to add a little rum in that...lol!

I hope that you enjoyed seeing some of the color inspiration at my visit to St Nicholas Abbey.  We enjoyed our visit and will go again, there is still so much to see and take in.  

Do check out my YouTube channel for my video inspiration around the Pantone Color of the Year on Saturday where I will show you examples of my outdoor garden inspiration and some of my art where I have used the color. If you want to see more of the Caribbean I have started a Destination Barbados blog for all of my Caribbean inspiration through photos and blogs.

Stay blessed and be a blessing.

Pantone Color of the Year 2017 - Greenery - Around the studio

I have been inspired in my studio by the Pantone Color of the Year for 2017 which is Greenery.

What is the PANTONE Color of the Year?

"A symbolic color selection; a color snapshot of what we see taking place in our global culture that serves as an expression of a mood and an attitude."

Who is the Pantone Color Institute

"The Pantone Color Institute is a color research and information center that shares its color expertise with professionals in a variety of industries including fashion, commercial/industrial, contract and interior design, graphic arts, advertising, film and education.

Pantone studies how color influences human thought processes, emotions and physical reactions, furthering its commitment to providing professionals with a greater understanding of color and to help them utilize color more effectively. Leatrice Eiseman, America's leading color expert, is the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute."

I am really interested in the way that color can impact on our health and well being.  I ran Art and Creativity workshops for a 4 year period with the elderly living with dementia, and encouraged my mother now 93 years old who has lived with dementia for the past 18 years and whom I was caring for to take part in creative activities. I saw the value of using color in an art activity, and the impact it made whether you were a participant or a viewer.  Check out my Arts In Health site and the resources of other organisations working in the field.

Creativity really touches parts of the brain that we just cannot truly understand and I found after the Arts and Creative activity the participants in my group became more focused during the rest of the day and they engaged with other activities, were more relaxed and they would talk about the activity that they took part in with others.  

Mum at the Art Session I ran at the day care centre

The work was displayed around the center and they were very proud of their efforts.

Mum liked patterns and lots of color - especially red

I was able to talk about my work in the Barbados magazine Better Health and shared my passion for the Arts and Health and the connection to our well-being.

Since hearing about Greenery as the Color of the Year, I thought I would see how much in our everyday the colors are being used.  It is amazing how once a particular color is highlighted you begin to notice it more.  I went round my studio to see examples of 'Greenery' and there was more than I thought. 

Can you identify any of the items?

After I began focusing on on the color I saw it everywhere, and obviously looking out the window it is all around.  

Some of the items are more obvious than others....

A lot of my supplies and tools have elements or shades of the color...

Some you may have seen....

I also use the color quite a bit in my paintings, and over the coming week will be sharing more about my creative process and where the color has featured in my work.

Some you may even own!

I will also be sharing more over the next week or so a trip I made to St Nicholas Abbey which is set in very lush surroundings and I took lots of photographs where the color greenery is evident and how it is used in the setting, from around the home to out in nature. 

St Nicholas Abbey - set in 350 acres!

I will also be sharing a video on my YouTube Channel - Realityart of 3 pieces of art work where the color and shades have featured quite a bit.  I hope you can join me, and perhaps it will encourage your creative adventure.

Sign up for my mailing list (on the side bar) and check out some of my other links listed.  It would be great to have you on board.  

Stay blessed and be a blessing!