Tips For Attracting Hummingbirds In Your Garden
The fluttering beauties are back! Find more beautiful hummingbirds in your garden this summer. Here are some useful tips for attracting hummingbirds in your garden.
Delicate and enchanting, hummingbirds bring a touch of magic to any garden they visit. If you’ve ever dreamed of having these tiny wonders grace your outdoor space with their presence, look no further. In this post, we’ll unveil the secrets to creating a hummingbird haven right in your own backyard. From choosing the perfect flowers to setting up enticing feeders, these tips will have your garden buzzing with vibrant energy and fluttering wings in no time
These amazing fast-fluttering little birds are so fascinating to watch. But how do you attract them? Hummingbirds are attracted to nectar. They travel from plant to plant, flapping their wings up to 70 times per second, lapping the nectar up with their tongue.
Hummingbirds love bright colors, not just reds. I am not a birding expert but here are some of my successful tips for attracting hummingbirds in your garden that I use.
Try These Tips For Attracting Hummingbirds In Your Garden
A good start (before you even think about planting flowers) is to use a hummingbird feeder. This puts the thought in their mind that “hey, this yard’s got good nectar!”, and they will be coming back for more. Feeders should be cleaned with hot, soapy water at least once a week and refilled so the nectar does not ferment I hang my feeder in a spot where I can enjoy it and somewhere that is easy for them to access — like under a tree.
You can make your own nectar at home by combining 1 cup sugar and 4 cups water. Bring mixture to a boil and cool and refrigerate. Do not add red dye or food coloring — keep it natural! The feeder you have has enough red on it to attract the hummingbirds.
Plants that attract hummingbirlds
There are so many flower options for you. Hummingbirds basically like anything with a trumpet-shaped flower (although, it doesn’t have to be) that is bright. And, your flowers don’t all have to be red. They will gravitate towards any bright color — pinks, yellow, purples, you name it. They are attracted to both annuals, flowers that only last one season, and perennials, flowers that come back year after year.
In our yard, we plant a lot of annuals. I love them because they consistently bloom (if taken care of properly) throughout the entire summer. Perennials are great too but be aware that their bloom time is not as long. It is nice to have a mixture of both.
You can find plenty of hummingbird-loving flowers at your local garden center or farmer’s market. Before purchasing, make sure you have the right growing environment in your yard. You don’t want to plant a flower that can only tolerate shade or part shade in the hot blazing sun.
Here are flower ideas for attracting hummingbirds
- Butterfly Bush (perennial, full-sun)
- Daylily (perennial, full-sun)
- Bee Balm (perennial, full-sun)
- Trumpet flower (perennial, full-sun)
- Delphinium (perennial, full-sun)
- Torenia (annual, part-sun)
- Mandavilla (annual, full-sun)
- Calibrachoa/Million Bells (annual, full-sun)
- Petunias (annual, full-sun)
- Impatiens (annual, part-sun)
- Salvia (annual, full-sun)
- Dragon Wing Begonia (annual, part-sun)
- Lantana (annual, full-sun)
- Hibiscus (tropical, full sun)
Here are some items you may find helpful for attracting hummingbirds in your garden.
Tips For Attracting Hummingbirds In Your Garden
I have added a bird feeder to the backyard, but would love a hummingbird feeder as well. Right now my backyard is a bit of a desolate wasteland, but I hope to get some landscaping in!
We had hummingbirds last year and lived them! We added a couple more flowers this year and can’t wait for them to return to our yard. Thank you for the list of flowers!
We have plenty of humming birds around, but I do NOT have a green thumb. I’m willing to try again with some of your plant suggestions (too busy to keep up with a feeder, I’m afraid). I’m really excited for you about attending the Disney OTR event. Please keep us posted – I’m a Disney blogger, but only started my blog 6 months ago. I’ve liked your FB page – I think we have a lot in common (I was actually born in NJ, but now live on a farm in Louisiana). Great post!
Thanks Lisa! Good luck with attracting the hummingbirds! I’m excited about Disney OTR. Can’t wait to write about it…..
We have a few hummingbirds that have been visiting us over the past few years. At least we think they are the same since we have read that they will develop a flight pattern and return to it. We Love them. We use a nectar of 3 to 1 that the seem to enjoy.
Visiting from SITS
Barbara @ http://www.allmylivesnow.com
They are so beautiful to watch.
I love hummingbirds, but we have had the WORST luck with birdfeeders! I’ll have to try out some flowers and see if we can attract any!