A hummingbird garden is a great way to beautify your yard and attract hummingbirds at the same time. Here below you will find some important things to keep in mind when developing your hummingbird garden.
If you are looking for some suggestions as to what plants to include in you hummingbird garden, the following suggestions are know to be quite effective at attracting hummingbirds: Azaleas, Lantana, Honeysuckle, Morning Glory, Trumpet Vines, Petunias, Scarlet Sage, Shrimp plant, Snap Dragons, and too many others to mention here. These plants are some of my favorites, but it is impossible for me to be sure that all these suggestions will work in your area of the country, so please consult your local plant nursery for further advice on the subject.
Basically speaking, any flowers that produce a good amount of nectar will attract hummingbirds. The hummingbird is looking for a food source that has a good quantity and quality of the nectar which is available. This is why a hummingbird will choose a flower with the highest nectar output and the richest concentration of sugars, regardless of the shape or color of the flower. The taste of the nectar is also far more important than the color of the flower.
You can either create a whole garden which is solely dedicated to the flowers which are preferred by hummingbirds, or you can choose to simply place several types of flowers which are known to attract hummingbirds around your yard and combine this within your existing landscaping.
Using species of plants native to your area is also a great idea. This will help ensure that the plants that you select for your garden have the best opportunity to survive and thrive within your garden.
Pesticides should never be used in a hummingbird garden! A hummingbird can ingest the pesticide while feeding on insects and spiders and this can kill the bird. The use of pesticides also kills the insects and spiders that are a vital and necessary source of protein within the hummingbird’s diet.
Happy gardening and hummingbird watching everyone! Through your efforts you will enhance the beauty of your yard and also help to entice nature’s tiny little “living jewels” to visit and hopefully remain in your yard for a longer period of time. What more could any hummingbird enthusiast want?