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Hummingbird Garden

need some advice

18 years ago

I just love this forum. I love the pictures and everyone is so helpful.

I need some advice. I planted a hummingbird/butterfly garden next to my sunroom last year, but yesterday I moved some of the butterfly plants to some outer beds so I could enjoy the hummingbirds close up. I have a feeder as well and have three birds (I think two juveniles and a female, but I am not sure!). So, now I have room for 4 more plants! Yippee!! What would you put in? I had three lobelia cardinalis that they loved last year, but the rabbits decimated them and they are now gone. Would you get more and keep them in pots? I think that would look strange in the garden. I have six Black and Blue salvia that they love, some columbine, a dwarf monarda that they never go to, cardinal vine, some penstemon (again, I never see them go there), digitalis, two coreopsis, coneflowers, lavender, and some rudbeckia. I was thinking of pineapple sage, the Jacob Cline monarda, and another salvia. Would you get one of each? I know people say to group things in odd numbers, but it is not a large area. Thanks in advance for the advice!

PS - I could be talked into moving the penstemons, coreopsis, and digitalis as well!

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Comments (4)

jenny_in_se_pa
18 years ago
Get the Jacob Cline mondarda definitely! In fact, it would probably spread enough to fill that whole area and the hummers love it! My hummer surely did! And my JC is potted and on a balcony on the 18th floor of a hi-rise...LOL
mimidi
18 years ago
They are going to love what you have. You might try some cleome (spider flower) This is the flower with the hummingibrd when you log on this forum. Also just go out next spring and buy you a packet of zinneas and plant them.
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king_cupheaphea
18 years ago
How about some Lady in Red Salvias in the beds and some double shepherds hooks full of Cigar Plants above? Works awesome for me!

If the area is protected from the blowing cold, you may try Firebush. I can't say that it'd survive the snow, but they look great during the summer. I overwinter mine indoors.

I was given some pineapple sage this summer, it still has yet to flower. If it doesn't grow back after this winter... I don't think I'll be upset.

"Would you get more and keep them in pots?" ~ Well it's not directly related, but I'd be one to say yes. Those double shepherd's hooks I'd mentioned...yeah, I've got 8 of 'em. That's ohh...16 pots a hangin'. ;) And then there's 4 more pots sitting on the bench, no wait, I bought some plants stands from Walmart on Monday. So, the bench is almost free to sit down on again. There's still 2 smaller pots on it. And then there's 13 more wee little pots that need to be replanted into more 8" pots. Man, I don't have the money for all the shepherd's hooks it's gonna take to hang all these pots! Hadn't quite thought of that.

Well, off to the ole drawing board. Good Luck!
penny1947
18 years ago
I agree with mimidi and King. cleome are nice and in the right soil they will reseed. Salvia Lady in Red or any Salvia Coccinea would be a nice compliment to your Black and Blue Salvias and the zinnias make a nice border plant. I seem to notice that the hummer in my yard will use the agastaches more than the Penstemons but I have a couple anyway. Another plant that grows well in clusters is standing cypress. It grows tall and wispy so you need several planted together to look nice. it is biennial and will bloom the first year from seed.

Penny

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