Wrens and Shrubbery

Wrens

It occurred to me recently that I no longer have to mourn the wild rose that I had transplanted against the fence. I had chopped it out before thinking about the Wrens who liked to raise their family in it's cover.

Our neighbor has since taken out the privacy fence back there. In summer mint likes to grow back there with abandon now. The man hates this.

In leu of sadness, I need some shrubbery there so Jenny Wren can feel good about raising her children there. Perhaps if I put more cover there, the Wren family would think about raising their young in the Wren House again. They do get mad at me and think I am a bad neighbor when I come near.

I'm thinking a hedgerow of viburnum (I am favoring American Cranberry) and Huckleberry at the moment, though a cherry would be nice and a high bush cranberry and I killed a holly recently and want to find a native one. Perhaps a hedgerow of five would entice a Wren family. They probably liked the many little red hips, maybe a seven sisters rose is in the future too. Or maybe that will be on the fence on Tony's side. I think there is a wild rose down the hill in the shade that would like a chance to grow up in the sun.

My list for the shrubbery is: High bush cranberry Viburnum trilobum
Nannyberry V. trilobum
Huckleberry
Holly Ilex opaca
Choke Cherry Prunus virginiana

In looking up shrubbery, I have found that Jewel Weed is an Impatiens, Impatiens capensis, same Genus as the common garden plant. I keep Impatiens on the window sill, as they survive well inside if they are kept watered. Perhaps Jewel Weed will too.

I haven't bothered much with the feeder back there this year. We haven't had snow cover, I left a lot of seed pods standing. If we do get snow, I must remember to set the thing up.