no prob rebecca, the feeders are actually a faded green...and, yes, the hummers love them...they actually dive bomb me if i'm in their way when it's feeding time, lol...unfortunately, the Blue Light on the left didn't appear this year, after 3 years of beauty...i'm totally devistated, but what can u do...i've not dug it up in hopes of it coming back...no prob with u using my pic, i'm actually proud u thought it was that nice '

I got Scarlet Runner Bean seeds specifically for Hummers. Two things I'm trying to figure out: 1) Read if you don't keep beans picked flowering will decline and then stop. Do you all get on a ladder to snip off beans once vine gets over 5 feet in height? Some people, although from warmer zones, say they can get over 15'. 2) Proper support - Have been warned that bamboo teepee can be used but blows over in wind. Have been told by handy people to build support out of metal poles (horizontal & vertical) with some metal fencing attached...not within my ability or my father's tolerance level and it's his yard. Trellises are somewhat expensive when you get into the 72" height with enough width and heft to support this vine but I'd go for it and just leave it up after vine dies down after frost. Don't know if I need as strong a support as I'm thinking. Going to have to put inside double 3' & 4' fencing with Tithonia so deer and groundhogs don't get Scarlet Runner Bean vine. I don't want to pick the wrong support or go to the trouble/expense of getting one just to have those miserable animals eat them as they did the Tithonia last year. I know I'm overthinking to most of you but I'm not building a sizable metal support which I have nowhere to store let alone ability to build and I don't want to choose something without enough height, heft and stability to hold this vine...but I want it for the Hummers! If any of you with SRB vine experience have suggestions for not too involved or expensive support could you provide them? Thanks a bunch...from me and the Hummers.

That sounds good. Artificial flowers to attract birds. Can I know the website for ordering those? We moved into a house recently. We have red yucca, verbena and skullcap. Not many plants . But I see hummingbirds almost everyday nowadays. And I would like to provide more food and get more plants for them.. Thanks Rini

Welcome to the Carolinas! We're so glad to have you. I have two books to recommend to you that I have found to be very helpful for gardening in our area (I'm a wee bit further north in Wilmington, North Carolina). You can run out to your nearest bookstore and buy these books or you can usually find them cheaper online at Half.com or Amazon.com: The Southern Gardener's Book of Lists by Lois Trigg Chaplin and Month-by-Month Gardening in the Carolinas by Bob Polomski (there is an older version and an updated version of this one; get the newer version if possible.) Month-by-Month Gardening in the Carolinas sounds exactly like what you are looking for. It will tell you what to do and when to do it. I'll include a link to that one at the bottom of this email. I plant for hummingbirds and butterflies myself and one of the vines I'm going to try this year is the Cardinal Flower vine as I heard it grows fast and is very attractive to hummers. Be wary of some vines in your new gardening zone. Because of the long growing season and mild winters, many things can get invasive here. Like kudzu. Be afraid of kudzu; very afraid . . . think Jack and the beanstalk. Without the golden goose. Seriously, that's where the other book will come in handy. It gives lists of the best hummingbird vines and perrenials, best butterfly vines and perrenials, best plants for humid wet sites, best plants for dry sights, best roses to grow up a pillar, and on and on. Very best of luck to you with your new southern garden. Here is a link that might be useful: Month-By-Month Gardening In the Carolinas