image source Flickr user: jmwests
Butterflies and hummingbirds add color, movement and beauty to our gardens. It is a pleasure watch the variety of activities of the many species we can see in our gardens. A well rounded garden has plants for bot butterflies and hummingbirds.
Butterflies, and hummingbirds are nectar feeders, and are attracted to different flowers. Butterflies feed on purple, lavender, white, yellow and orange and some red flowers. Flowers that provide a perch and fragrance are especially attractive to butterflies. Hummingbirds are attracted to red, red-orange, orange and pink blossoms located on the exterior of the plant allowing them to hover while feeding.
• The more nectar flowers you have the more butterflies and hummingbirds will show up.
• Use a variety of annuals, perennials, shrubs and vines. They will flower at different heights, times and locations ensuring there will be something attractive to the hummingbirds and butterflies.
• Consider mass plantings of flowers, larger blocks of color help attract.
• Native flowers generally have more nectar
• Container plants work well in limited space areas and allow you to bring the butterflies and hummingbirds in from the garden and closer to the house.
• Butterflies prefer flowers in the sun, with shelter from the wind.
• Hummingbirds mostly perch in trees and then venture out every 10-15minutes to feed, they also eat some small insects.
• In weather extremes, i.e. hot, cold, dry, or rainy flowers don’t produce as much nectar. Supplemental food can be provided with feeders and sugar water.
Flowers for Butterflies
• Alyssum
• Aster
• Chrysanthemum
• Dahlia
• Daylilly
• Dianthus
• Honeysuckle
• Impatients
• Lilac
• Lobelia
• Marigold
• Pansy
• Petunia
• Phlox
• Sunflower
• Candytuft
• Yarrow
• Zinnia
Flowers for Hummingbirds
• Begonia
• Columbine
• Coral Bells
• Delphinium
• Fuchsia
• Gladiolus
• Hollyhock
• Honeysuckle
• Impatiens
• Iris
• Lobelia
• Lupine
• Petunia
• Phlox
• Salvia
• Trumpet Vine
• Zinnia
Flickr user: aussiegal
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I found that the hummingbirds really enjoyed our Morning Glory vines. I know a lot of people don’t like them for their invasiveness but the hummers sure do!
Here are some things that you can do to help attract hummingbirds to your garden. I have done these things as well as what was mentioned in the original post and have found them to be quite effective. Hope this will be of help.
It is also important for your flower garden to have a source of water available for the hummingbirds. One way to do this is by having a birdbath available. The birdbath should have a very shallow water depth to allow the birds to stand in the water if they choose to do so. Adding some small flat rocks to the birdbath will create different water depths within the birdbath.
Your hummingbird garden should also contain some perches so the hummingbirds can survey the territory. You might want to create some perches that give the birds a good view over the flowers.
Pesticides should never be used in a hummingbird garden! The hummingbird can ingest the pesticide while feeding on insects and spiders.
If you would like much more information about hummingbirds, please click the link below. The site contains many articles about hummingbirds, video clips about hummingbirds, an informative tips booklet on hummingbirds, and much more.
Click Here To Visit About Hummingbirds
Happy hummingbird watching everyone!
Zoe Ann Hinds
Thanks for the well written, and thought out post. One can tell the fake posts, from the really good ones written by people truly interested in the subject, and yours is very good, with lots of unique info. Thanks
If you’re just beginning your butterfly/hummingbird garden, you’ve got to include a butterfly bush (zones 5-9)! Don’t let the name fool you. The hummers love it every bit as much as the butterflies!
I planted a Cape Mallow (zones 8-11) a few years ago and discovered that the hummingbirds love that as well. I often see butterflies resting on the branches of this shrub, but I’m not quite sure if they’re attracted to its nectar or they’re just resting. It blooms late Spring through early Winter so it’s just perfect for producing the nectar that the hummers need while they’re visiting! (Although in Southern California we get the hummingbirds all year long, but some do fly through here on their migatory path).
I also supplement their diet with homemade nectar (4 parts water to 1 part white table sugar) and place feeders throughout my garden. The feeders with the perches are great. The perches allow the birds to take their time and “dine” at their leisure.
If you’re interested in adding handblown glass hummingbird feeders to your garden, visit the site A1GlassHummingbirdFeeders.com
The hummingbirds also love running water. I’ve installed a birdbath in my garden that has a water spout on top. The hummies love to hover over it to get their drink. They also love to fly through misters. I even have one little guy that enjoys flying through my lawn sprinklers!
Now, go outside and enjoy the sunshine and wildlife!!