I decided to make a special garden for my hummingbirds but they won't visit the new garden. It is about 5 feet from the hummingbird feeder they are at pretty often. So far it has [info=petunia]petunas[/info] in red and blue, red [info=snapdragon]snapdraggons[/info], [info=penstemon]beard tongue[/info], and [info=honeysuckle ]honeysuckle [/info]that didn't bloom yet and some carnations. I got them a hanging fushia basket with 6 different kinds, they ignore that too. What else should I plant for them or should I just quit feeding the ungrateful little birds?
Hello Seattle, I'm also in W. Wa. It's sort of by Eatonville on the way to Mt. Rainier. Our hummers go look at the feeders and laugh. I think the mix must be wrong. But they love our Monarda, Crocosmia, Bleeding Heart and a variety of other bright things. They seem to like the colour red. I've got so much Crocosmia I need to get rid of quite a bit. If you ever get out this way I'll give you some. Has anyone ever done a sort of plant rescue thing on this forum? I'll be dividing things in the fall and all my little orphans will need new homes. I can't bear to toss them out. muddy
I'll be dividing things in the fall and all my little orphans will need new homes. I can't bear to toss them out. I would love to have some plants when you divide. I use Freecycle and this week have given red hot poker, spearmint, hens and chicks, daisies and rhubarb soon I will give away the apples from my tree. Our neighborhood has a community garden and plant exchange so we meet the neighbors and give each other plants.
http://birding.about.com/library/weekly/aa053001a.htm May this list will help for plants ideas. Over 20 yrs ago, I had not started gardening and we lived in an area about 5 miles from here...we had at least 10 hummingbirds flitting around the trees and feeders, playing and eating. We bought this house, I put out feeders and started gardening with lots of thier favorite food flowers about 5 yrs ago I have not seen a single hummingbird. :'(
I never use my hummingbird feeder, my hummers seem to like their food "on the flower". They love red honeysuckle, pentas, cuphea, torenia, butterfly bush,lantanas, cleome,campsis vine, abelia bush,minettia vine,salvia, and wigelia bush. 8)
how about the trumpet vine? i have never tried growing it but i just LOVE the look of it and herd the hummingbirds love it.
Our [info]canna[/info] seems be the favorite of the hummingbirds here, they also really go for the [info]butterfly bush[/info].