Guerilla Bird Feeders

Photo by MICHAEL MURPHY on Unsplash

I miss having a bird feeder. The HOA in the community where I live doesn’t allow them. They are fixated on keeping the neighborhood neat and clean, so messy things like bird feeders and vegetable gardens are not allowed.

I have always been a rebel. The minute that you tell me that I can’t do something, I have to figure out a way to do it without directly violating the rules prohibiting it. I used my knowledge of gardening and birds and came up with what I call Guerilla Bird Feeders, flowers that look pretty but whose main purpose is to feed birds.

First, I planted a big clump of Echinacea by my front door. I’m a Master Gardener who specializes in growing herbs so it’s Echinacea to me but you know them as purple coneflowers. When the flowers die and the remaining cones turn an ugly black, goldfinches flock to them. They perch precariously on top of the cones and reach down to pick out the seeds, one by one. It’s a delicate balancing act for me. Keep the dead and dying cones long enough to feed the goldfinches but not long enough to attract the attention of the HOA who will fine me for leaving dead plants in my garden. Yes, there are rules about that.

After the Echinacea has finished, the zinnias burst into bloom. I love zinnias. They were the first flower I ever grew when I was a child. Burpee had just released its first green zinnia called Envy. I was fascinated by the…