Plant a Hummingbird Garden

Hummingbirds are a part of the Trochilidae family. They feed on the nectar of plants, especially tubular flowers such as trumpet vine. They use their long, straight bills to access the sweet nectar within. The flowers use the nectar to attract the hummingbirds and bees for pollination.

Although the hummingbird can see up to the near ultra-violet range, the nectar producing flowers in red, orange and pink is what usually catches their attention.

There are three things critical to the success of a hummingbird garden.

1. There needs to be flowers blooming all season, not just in the spring and early summer.

2. There should be a place near the garden for the hummingbirds to nest.

3. Another key ingredient is water. Hummingbirds will ignore a bird bath but will fly through a spray of water time and time again.

I love the springtime. There are so many beautiful flowers in bloom. Azaleas grow well here in the south and their blooms are gorgeous. It's also a popular one with the hummingbirds. Blooming bulbs and climbing vines such as clematis and trumpet vines brighten the garden early in the spring. I count of the flowering bushes and early blooming perennials to attract the hummingbirds. Keeping them interested in my garden through the summer is not as easy to do.

What flowers bloom in late spring verses the summer varies depending on where you live. Annuals usually follow the posted list but here in the south I found that most perennials that are listed as summer bloomers actually bloom in late spring. Bleeding hearts and irises (a couple of my favorites) are considered summer bloomers but bloom in my garden in April and May. Honeysuckle, trumpet vines, and morning glories start blooming in May but I can count on them through June and into July. The daylily is the only reliable summer blooming perennial in my garden.

I count on annual flowers during the hottest part of the summer, but when the temperature crowds the hundred degree mark for days on end, even the annual flowers will fade. Keep your hummingbird feeders filled. It may be hot but your feathered friends still need to eat.

Birdscapes Garden Ballet Hummingbird Feeder Mobile

Faceted Hummingbird Feeder - Amethyst

Avant Yarde Lantern Style Hummingbird Feeder, Rustic Metal and Glass, 14 3/4 Inches High

The hummingbirds that frequent my garden in the summer usually disappear in August. They are migratory and head out before the weather starts to change. I still see an occasional hummingbird through the fall. It's usually a Rufous Hummingbird. They hang around for a few hours, sometimes even a day, and then they disappear. I keep the feeder filled for the occasional traveler through October.

There are several flowers that will bloom up until the first frost. The butterfly bush and the Mexican heather are summer/fall bloomers, and there are several annuals that will add a nice splash of color as well.

Flowers are the focal point in a hummingbird garden, but there also needs to be a place for the birds to perch and to nest. Tall bushes are a good option as well as small trees. Tea Olives are a good option. I have two in my yard that provide both flowers and shelter. My mother-in-law has a Bradford Pear in her front yard. There is a hummingbird that constantly flies between the tree and the hummingbird feeder attached to her window. There's only one, but it's a regular.

Like all living creatures, hummingbirds need water. They will rarely go for a dip in a birdbath but they will dart through a misty spray over and over again. Adding a mist attachment or small fountain to your birdbath can make all the difference in the world.

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Poster Print

Sometimes I think attracting hummingbirds is more luck than design. My brother hangs a feeder every spring. There are trees nearby but not a flower in sight. The hummingbirds empty his feeder faster than he can fill it.

My mother has a huge flowerbed, several hummingbird feeders, a fountain and plenty of trees for shelter. If she sees a single hummingbird in a season she considers herself lucky.

My luck with the hummingbirds has been sporadic. The hummingbirds use my garden as a rest stop when migrating south and gladly drink from the feeders. They usually show up in mid October and hang around for a couple of days. In the summer though, some summers there are several that settle in my garden but other summers I'm lucky to see one.

There are several hummingbird gardens in my neighborhood. With so many to choose from...

Good luck!