Creating a vibrant hummingbird garden isn’t just about planting a few flowers – it’s about crafting a magical space that draws these magnificent creatures to your backyard sanctuary. As someone who’s spent decades perfecting my own hummingbird haven, I’ve discovered some tried-and-true methods to make your garden truly special.
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Check PriceHere are some expert tips to transform your outdoor space into a hummingbird paradise that will be the talk of the neighborhood.
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1. Create a Tiered Garden Design
While foxglove plants don’t flower in their first year, those flower spikes in year two create beautiful flowers and add some layering to your flower garden. They also provide a great food source for pollinators like hummingbirds and bees.
Choose plenty of native trees, shrubs, climbers, and herbaceous plants to create a hummingbird habitat throughout your space.
And incorporate water in your garden design to help them feel at home.
2. Install Multiple Water Features
First, provide a source of fresh water. Hummingbirds are attracted to moving water, so consider installing a small fountain or waterfall.
You can also simply hang a birdbath in your yard and change the water regularly. Some people say that the sound of running or dripping water will attract hummingbirds, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be moving water.
A regular bird bath will also help create a welcoming environment for hummingbirds and other birds.
3. Plant Native Trumpet-Shaped Flowers
Choose flowers that have bright colors like orange or red, and offer plenty of nectar in tubular or trumpet-shaped flowers. Hummingbirds need bugs, so plant native species that attract plenty of insect life too.
Hibiscus is far from the only plant that hummingbirds like. Trumpet vine, cardinal flower, columbine, honeysuckle, and other tubular-shaped flowers all provide nectar for hummingbirds across North America.
4. Design Color Zones
Remember that hummingbirds have some color preferences, so you should plant pink, purple, and red varieties instead of white or blue. They may enjoy white or blue clematis from time to time, but they will be especially excited about pinks, purples, and reds.
Use red attractants because hummingbirds are attracted to the color red. You can use this to your advantage by using red lids, cups, or even paint in your design.
5. Incorporate Rest Perches
Though quick to flit from bloom to bloom, hummingbirds do sometimes perch for short periods to rest and refuel. Perches placed conveniently near feeding zones allow the best chance to observe their perching behavior.
Some people believe that hummingbirds must fly non-stop. And indeed, these birds are in flight through much of the daylight hours.
However, they do perch on the thin tips of branches or twigs or perches that you have placed for them near or at a feeder.
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6. Create Seasonal Blooming Sequences
Lantana plants are popular with gardeners because they have a long blooming window, often producing flowers from late spring through the first frost of fall. This extended bloom time makes lantana an appealing choice for gardeners who love hummingbirds because lantana ends up providing hummingbirds food for the entire season.
You will want to choose a mix of morning glory varieties to extend the blooming season. Ideally, you will plant patches of other flowers like petunias, bee balm, and coral honeysuckle which will attract hummingbirds.
7. Add Strategic Feeder Stations
If you have more than one hummingbird feeder, you should position them at least 15 feet apart, and ensure that they are not visible to one another. Hummingbirds are highly territorial.
One male hummingbird will keep all other males away from “his” feeder! Position the feeders in shady areas to prevent spoilage.
If you have more than one feeder, try not to put them close together, as this can create unhealthy competition between males.
8. Incorporate Protective Cover
Skip the crafting and rely on the plants in your garden to provide for the hummingbirds’ needs. Native shrubs and trees in a variety of sizes are best for offering hummingbirds the foliage cover that helps them feel safe!
Also, yards that don’t offer enough of the other things hummingbirds need, like the safe cover, perches, good visibility of predators and rivals, and water sources, might be unappealing even if you put out a nice feeder.
9. Design Natural Windbreaks
Even on a small scale, rewilding on your property can be a boon to these and other birds. Planting trees on your property will provide hummingbirds with nesting sites and create shelter and windbreaks in more exposed locations.
10. Include Spider-Web Friendly Spaces
Flowers also provide an ideal location for spiders to spin their webs. This is a double bonus for attracting Hummingbirds.
They will eat the spiders and then use the spider’s web to build their nests. Spider web provides the glue to keep the nesting material collected by the female Hummer together.
She will weave the spider silk into the nest material to hold it all together.
11. Establish Vertical Gardens
Gardeners across the U.S. can choose native flowering vines that attract hummingbirds.
You should be able to find native flowering vines better suited to the growing conditions that you can provide.
Care & Growth: Once seedlings appear, thin to 4-6 inches apart. Provide a trellis, fence, or other climbing support structure for the vines to grow upwards.
Morning glories can reach heights of 10-15 feet when given adequate support. Water plants regularly about 1 inch per week, and mulch around the base to retain moisture while plants establish.
Fertilize with an organic bloom booster or low nitrogen fertilizer every 4-5 weeks during the active growing season.
12. Create Photography Stations
Design specific areas in your garden optimized for photographing these fascinating birds. Set up natural-looking perches near favorite flowers, ensure good lighting angles throughout the day, and create clean backgrounds for stunning photos.
These dedicated photography zones will help you capture memorable moments of your garden visitors.
13. Install Night Lighting
Add subtle landscape lighting to extend your garden’s beauty into the evening hours. While hummingbirds aren’t active at night, well-placed lights will illuminate your garden features and create a magical atmosphere for evening enjoyment.
Focus on highlighting key plants and water features with soft, warm lighting.
14. Maintain Insect-Friendly Areas
Hummingbirds need nectar from flowering plants, but they also need insects as these also form an essential part of their diet. So, as well as nectary plants for hummingbirds, you should plant to attract a range of insect life.
When planning a hummingbird-friendly garden, selecting as diverse a range of plants as possible is essential. The planting schemes you choose should provide nectar and attract beneficial insects and other wildlife.
Hummingbird garden that stands out
| Spec | What our writers say |
|---|---|
| Layering | Foxglove spikes in year two add height for pollinators |
| Water | Moving water; fountain, waterfall, or a regularly changed bath |
| Trumpet flowers | Native tubular blooms in red, orange, or bright colors |
| Color | Pink, purple, and red over white or blue |
| Perches | Thin twig tips near feeders; they do not fly all day |
| Lantana | Blooms from late spring through first frost |
| Feeder spacing | At least 15 feet apart and out of sight of each other |
| Feeder shade | Shade slows nectar spoilage |
| Cover | Native shrubs and trees for foliage cover |
| Windbreaks | Trees give nesting sites and shelter in exposed spots |
| Spider silk | Glue for the nest; flowers also host the spiders they eat |
| Vertical vines | Morning glories can reach 10-15 feet on a trellis |
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