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Monday, May 21, 2012

Naperville’s Growing Place offers birdbath tips

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A birdbath fountain is an easy way to add a water element to your gardenor patio. | Submitted by Heather Prince

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Updated: November 16, 2011 1:35AM



Adding a water element to your garden or patio can be as easy as a birdbath or as complex as a pond with a waterfall.

One of the ways we like to embellish a birdbath at The Growing Place is to create a simple dish water garden. Choose three to five water plants to fill one half to three quarters of your birdbath. You will want at least one tall, one mid-height and one trailing plant. Keep the plants in either plastic pots placed into the dish or try placing them in a piece of knotted nylon stocking. This keeps the soil contained, but the roots remain moist. Cover with pea gravel and river rock to hide the containers. Fill your dish with water and nestle in a small pump for a bubbler effect. You can cover the pump with pea gravel, but be sure to leave some open water for birds and wildlife. The moving water discourages mosquitoes.

For more ideas, check out the How to Maintain and Build a Fountain class at 10 a.m. July 9 at The Growing Place on Montgomery Road in Aurora.

Courtesy of Heather Prince, The Growing Place. Call 630-355-4000 or visit www.thegrowingplace.com

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