For the record, almost all of the sword ferns have been shorn. A couple were left in front because they are being taken out, and they provide staging for the birds at the feeder. Since most of them are going to be opening up later in April, they probably won’t be used by the towhees for nesting this year. They used one of them in a snowberry hedge cluster in the back last year but it’s now been pruned.
Also tried to shear down the hedge fronts, especially the spirea, and any leftover perennial stems around the yard in prep for spring growth. Pruned the tea plant outside to 21″ , since its last pruning before we got it was to 15″. Some instructions say to prune in January, but that may be for warmer climates.
Caught a wren on camera going into one of the roosting holes in the hanging planter, but only because the chickadee triggered the camera first:
ellensgarden.us 