Back from Disaster

Severe weather nearly destroyed a few of these Southeastern yards, but that didn't stop Birds & Blooms readers from enjoying what they love. They turned hurricane devastation into hope by rebuilding their bird feeders, planting new gardens and welcoming wildlife back to their backyards with open arms.

Fill It with Flowers

We used to have an 80-foot spruce in our backyard, until Hurricane Katrina came through. The strong winds split the tree, and we had to cut it down before it fell on the house. We couldn't remove the stump, so we decided to turn it into a big flowerpot instead.

We love it! It's beautiful year-round, even in the winter when we plant pansies. —Carl and Sam Nunley, Gruetli, Tennessee

Hummingbird Return

When our hummingbirds slowly started to return following Hurricane Katrina, we put out our regular feeders, along with this "sipping" model.

We weren't sure the new feeder would work, but much to our surprise, this ruby-throated hummingbird visitor was the first to give it a try. It came back regularly and brought its friends! —Philip White, Slidell, Louisiana

Feeder Back in Action

After Katrina came through, we didn't see any birds at our feeders for nearly 2 weeks. Once they finally returned, we had feathered friends nonstop. Our feeder was a little battered from the storm, but the birds didn't mind. Northern cardinals were one of our favorite visitors. —Catherine Roberts, Moss Point, Mississippi