Bees and butterflys are fun to watch but, I think humingbirds are the most facinating visitors to a garden. No matter how many times you see them, they never fail to surprise and amaze.
Hummingbirds use a huge huge amount of energy in realation to their size. Sugars found in flower nectar is source of this energy. Everyday they eat their body weight in nectar so they are constantly on the lookout for nectar-producing flowers.
You can encourage hummingbirds to visit your yard by planting the flowers they’re looking for.
They prefer red and orange tubular flowers but will feed on most brightly-colored flowers with nectar. There’s plenty of flowers that meet these requirements.
Here’s a partial list to consider: monarda, red salvia, agastache, honeysuckle vine, fushia, verbena, phlox, butterfly bush, daylily, trumpet creeper, cypress vine, coral bells, heirloom petunias, penstemnon, morning glory, bugle weed, red-hot poker, and many others.
Like people, hummingbirds also need protien and fats in their diet. They get those nutients by eating gnats, mousquitos and other small insects. So, having an area of wild plants — weeds — nearby will provide space for these small insects to grow.
If you have the space for it, a mixed garden like this will provide all the nutrients hummingbirds need. Tubular flowers for nectar and other flowers for small insects to live in.
Finally, hummingbirds need trees and shrubs to provide a place for them to nest and to escape from predators.
If you look around, you’ll probably see that most of the things hummingbirds need are already in your neighborhood.
Planting the right kind of flowers is the best way to get hummingbirds to hang out in your backyard.