As spring approaches, the season brings with it blooming flowers, warming days, and hummingbirds. If you love hummingbirds and would like to see more of these whimsical creatures in your yard, plant a hummingbird garden. Hummingbirds have very specific nutritional needs and if you plant a hummingbird garden that contains some of their favorite plants and flowers they will make your yard a visiting place.
The Key To A Hummingbird Garden
Hummingbirds are amazing little creatures. They can hover in the air, flapping their little wings fifteen to eighty times per second. This delicate bird is the only one that can actually fly backwards. It is no wonder that they are so much fun to watch. Most gardeners love having hummingbirds in their yard, so if you want a hummingbird garden, you need to understand the bird and its needs.
They follow mapped out routes to food, but they are always willing to investigate new food sources when tempted. If you want to tempt hummingbirds to stop over in your yard this year plant the right sources of hummingbird food. Humming birds don’t have a great sense of smell, so planting fragrant flowers won’t attract them the same way it will attract bees to your garden. Hummingbirds are drawn to stimulating colors, so if you want to see lots of these little birds in your hummingbird garden, make sure you plant bright flowering plants.
A few favorites in the hummingbird garden include azalea, butterfly bush, flowering quince, honeysuckle, morning glory, trumpet creeper, yucca, canna, coral bells, four o’clocks, lupine, foxglove, fuchsia, petunias, impatiens, and salvia. If you want to attract hummingbirds to your hummingbird garden and give them a safe feeding environment, make sure that you do not spray your flowers with chemical pesticides. Pesticides may take care of pests but they can be harmful to hummingbirds or at the very least, cause them to steer clear of your yard.
In addition to planting the right plants in your hummingbird garden, it is important to provide your feathered friends with ample perching opportunities. This can be in the form of a planter, shepherd’s crook for hanging a plant, or even a bird bath. A bird bath also doubles as a source of water that will also make your yard a desirable place to visit. You can supplement your neighborhood hummingbird’s diet with a special hummingbird feeder. These feeders work best if they are a bright color and can be filled with purchased liquid nectar or even homemade sugar water. To make it especially attractive, tint the water with red food coloring.
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