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With a little planning, you can create a mini-habitat for hummingbirds and butterflies, right in your own backyard.
Hummingbirds and butterflies aggressively seek flowers that produce nectar, an important food source necessary for their survival.
By planting nectar-producing flowers in your backyard, borders, window boxes, and other areas of your lawn and garden, you not only will attract hummingbirds and butterflies galore, but you'll be rewarded with hours of fun and relaxation watching these colorful and playful creatures.
The first thing to remember when starting your garden is to keep it simple. The first year plant not more than three or four difference species to minimize your time, work, and maintenance, and to maximize the enjoyment of your own garden-show.
You'll have better luck sticking with plants native to your area. They will give you better results than exotic varieties and will promote bio-diversity.
Although you will be tempted to do so, avoid digging and transplanting will flowers into your garden. You not only will preserve native habitats, but you also will have better luck growing nursery plants. They've been developed and grown for disease resistance and hardiness.
Red, orange, yellow, and purple flowers that bloom all season have tremendous appeal for hummingbirds, butterflies, and other wildlife. Planting them so your tallest blossoms are in the back and the shortest in the front will make your garden more visible and your arrangement more attractive.
By studying butterflies and hummingbirds in your area, you can determine what flowers they use in the wild. That will provide you with a great guide for your garden.
To attract more butterflies, install a butterfly roosting box for shelter and select plants that bloom purple, white, yellow, blue, or pink. Butterflies prefer short nectar tubes and wide, flat rims. Providing plants for the larvae (caterpillar) is true butterfly gardening.
A shallow tray with damp sand will provide a nice watering hole for butterflies. A pan nearby with mashed fruit such as bananas and pears is an added attraction for them.
Hummingbirds prefer long nectar tubes that bloom red, orange, or yellow. An often overlooked attraction for hummingbirds is a bird bath that sprays a fine mist that they enjoy flying through.
Artificial feeders work especially well for hummingbirds and also can enhance the beauty of your garden. A mixture of four parts water and one part sugar provides the substitute for natural nectar. Avoid red food coloring since it can harm the birds and doesn't enhance their attraction. It's a good practice to clean hummingbird feeders once every three days to avoid spoilage and fungus growth.
Although you will be starting out small, work from a plan, a garden layout, to help you visualize what your garden will look like at maturity. That will also allow you to notice spacing problems before you start planting.
Place plants that multiply quickly in tubs to limit spreading roots. Pruning tops off plants after they bloom and fade will prevent spread of seeds.
The following tips will help you select the right location for your garden. Pick an area with plenty of sun. Protect your garden from wind. Plant your garden near a water supply. And finally, locate it where you can see it easily from your favorite living and sitting areas.
If you aren't familiar with plants, your local nursery has plenty of information. You can also obtain information from the local extension office of your state university.
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