Simply having a feeder is not enough to establish a wonderful hummingbird garden. To draw in these unique birds, the garden must offer a planned habitat where the birds will find food, shelter, and protection for the entire active season. Whether you are a beginner gardener or you have been gardening for a long time, there are certain characteristics that will help you create a hummingbird garden that will draw these lovely birds to your space again and again.
Bring Woodpeckers & Nuthatches To Your Yard
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As you start planting your hummingbird garden, remember to include native trumpet-shape flowers. Native honeysuckles and bee bams are the best plants to attract these birds. These plants and the birds have native co-evolved, meaning that the birds have preferences of nectar concentration and shapes which allow them to pollinate the plants. To help the hummingbirds see your plants from above, and to help you see the plants better, you should plant them in large clusters.
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2. Multiple Feeding Stations
Because they can be territorial, it is important to install a greater number of hummingbird feeders. Select difference feeders that have red components (they're most attracted to red) and set them at different heights and distances from one another. It is important to clean the feeders every few days as the nectar solution can ferment in hot weather. During hot weather, remember to replace the nectar solution frequently.
3. Water Features
Running water attracts hummingbirds and makes them frequent visitors to your yard. Hummingbirds love to bathe in gentle sprays and mists. You can make gentle sprays using small fountains or misting devices. You can even use a dripper over a basin. They will enjoy the sound of the running water and they will have food and bathing needs met!
4. Perching Spots
People believe that hummingbirds are always in flight, but they actually stop to perch quite a bit. You can offer space for them to rest and defend their feeding territory by providing some thin, bare branches or shepherd’s hooks. These branches also serve as lookouts for hunting insects (which are a dietarily significant item) and for preening and resting between meals.
5. Tiered Plantings
Increase the feeding opportunities for birds while making your garden look great by arranging your plants in tiers. Put your tallest plants, like hollyhocks and delphiniums, at the back of the bed. Use medium height plants like salvias and penstemons for the middle tier and place smaller plants like verbena and lantana to the front. Besides the visual appeal, this creates many levels at which feeding can occur.
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6. Extended Blooming Season
From spring to fall your garden can get a variety of food producing flowers. Columbines and Coral bells will give your garden a great spring start. In the summer your garden will become a food haven for birds with the likes of blooming Bee balms and Cardinal flowers. In late summer and fall Salvador and Pineapple Sage will continue to provide food for birds. Hummingbirds will appreciate your garden as a recurring food source.
7. Shelter and Protection
Hummingbirds need protective zones to calm and relax, away from the risks of predator attacks. While setting up feeding zones, you can add small trees or large shrubs, being careful not to add them too close to predator hiding places. For year-round storm protection during the winter, you can use evergreens, as they provide nesting space too.
8. Insect-Friendly Areas
To attract hummingbirds, create spaces that will draw in little bugs since they are a good protein source. As hummingbirds eat bugs, please don’t pesticide your garden. To draw in little bugs, plant native yarrow and native asters as they will provide food sources in addition to nectar.
9. Red Accent Colors
Hummingbirds enjoy all flower colors, but they especially love red ones. To draw these birds to your garden, try adding red features. This can be red artwork for the garden, red gazing balls, red trellises, and of course, red flowers.
10. Wind Protection
You can build a wind barrier to protect little birds and their food sources from strong winds. A fence, some bushes, or a decorative screen will work as a wind barrier. This wind barrier will also protect food sources like nectar rich flowers and feeders.
11. Vertical Garden Elements
Height adjustable feeders are ideal for vertical gardening. Height adjustable feeders will attract more hummingbirds. Such feeders are ideal for use with climbing plants like trumpet vines and morning glories, which will grow beautifully around your trellises and arbors and provide hummingbirds with lots of natural pathways. You will be able to observe the hummingbirds easily.
12. Open Space Design
The more flying space you provide, the better for the hummingbirds to show their tricks and fly around and through the flowers. Try to design several zones that allow free flight between feeding stations so you can watch their amazing aerial abilities.
13. Maintenance Zones
As you design your garden, think about areas for maintenance so you can clean feeders, prune, and change the water features without disrupting the hummingbirds. Try to include stepping stones or small paths between the planting areas and place feeders along the paths for easier access. This layout will make garden maintenance more simple and reduce stress for your tiny visitors.
