Honeysuckles

After a welcome week of warm weather, the honeys are in bloom. As kids, we'd pick the petals and taste the sweet nectar from these big, climbing vines.

Bush Honeysuckles make ideal screens and hedges, giving privacy around our homes.

Vine Honeysuckles climb trellises, porches and arbors. Most bloom all summer ~ a favorite of hummingbirds and butterflies.

Climbing Vine: Lonicera brownii Dropmore Scarlet Honeysuckle, USDA zones 4-8, is a prolific bloomer from June through October.

Flowering Shrub: Lonicera tatarica Pink Tatarian Honeysuckle, USDA zones 3-8, is a native of Southern Russia and Turkistan. After a short-lived burst of fuschia flowers sturdy branches provide a colorful windbreak for tender perennials.

Put a little happiness in your garden. Butterflies, hummingbirds and rambunctious little kids will thank you.