It's always a treat to see a hummingbird make its way through your garden. You can't help but stop what you're doing to watch their constant darting motion. About's Landscaping Guide has some tips for luring these fascinating creatures to our gardens by planting their favorites. As a bonus, many of these plants butterfly favorites too! So plant some flowers to attract hummingbirds.
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Photo: Mark Wilson / Getty Images. Used with Permission.
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Good to know, as many of those plants are attractive just to have. Now there’s an added bonus. I’ve been trying to attract butterflies. Also a fun hobby. Here’s a link that might help others.
http://www.oldhouseweb.com/gardening/Detailed/817.shtml
Thank you for the information. I hadn’t thought about attracting butterflies with some of the same plants. I do some container gardening and just now have two plants going that are hummer favorites. I’ll keep an eye out for butterflies now, too.
We have at least five hummingbirds as regulars. After awhile, you can start to tell the difference between them. One female is particularly friendly and will get within a foot of us while we are in the flower garden.
We have mass plantings of salvia guaranitica ‘Black & Blue’ in five different locations to try to accommodate all of the hummingbirds. They love this salvia! It seems to be their favorite, although they also sip from the salvia greggii varieties, too.
Our garden is a certified habitat as well as a Monarch butterfly waystation. Watching (and feeding) all the birds, bees and butterflies through flower gardening is a wonderful way to spend time!
Cameron
I had a hummingbird flit around the abutilon flowers on the table next to me. I just sat there riveted.
Great information, i enjoy seeing hummingbirds in my garden. If there are people out there who live in areas where hummingbirds aren’t found, why not put a hummingbird garden plaque in your garden to liven it up. Look at flockoffigurines.com/bird_home_decor.html if you would like to buy one.
thanks for all the hummingbird tips and the list of flowers to attract them – !
I was feeling a bit cheated when I read this post – I have never seen a hummingbird in my garden (not surprising – we are in the UK) but I am equally enthralled by watching squirrels and butterflies, birds and even tiny scurrying things. Not quite the same though ….lucky you.
Mark, you’re very welcome. I like to post this article every once in awhile, so more people can have the thrill of these little creatures in their gardens.
GardenMad1, it’s nice to hear from someone else who likes to watch the squirrels. I know so many people who try to force them off their land (good luck with that), but I find them very entertaining and I can usually limit the amount of damage they do by tossing them a few nuts.
How fascinating, I had never thought about attracting particular birds, even though it sounds obvious! And even more fascinating that certain birds like certain foods! Thanks for the inspiration and tips.
A nice thing about using plants to attract birds is you don’t wind up feeding the squirrels to. Of course, the deer are a different matter.
Russelia a prolific nectar source highly desired by hummingbirds. The small red blooms attract hummers like a magnet