Larkspur will grow in pots if started from seed. Or red snapdragons if you can get them from a nursery. The Hummers seem to be attracted to red more than any other color.

We got our first hummer on April 4th last Spring and even though I had 5 feeders set out with fresh nectar they were on the Indian Paintbrush up our back yard. Cheryl

I would go with something simple, look around for one of the Salvia coccineas: Lady in Red, Forest Fire, Coral Nymph. Any of the cultivars are good and usually available at better nurseries. They are also easy to grow from seed and a lot of seed companies offer them. Indian Paintbrush is a cool plant, but is parasitic, requiring another plant's roots to attach its roots to, and isn't adapted to Illinois' climate. I wish we could grow it in the east.

You're right aprice, it's not too early to start planning - or Winter sowing!!

Nasturtiums do well in hanging baskets, and with regular feedings, will trail and bloom 'till frost. 'Empress of India' is a nice red variety that my hummers love. The blooms tend to shift to orange late in the season, probably due to intense sunlight/high temps. Dwarf cannas also do well in containers. Their upright growth habit and dark green foliage should be formal enough to satisfy any landscaping guidelines. I had white, yellow, and rose varieties on my deck this past Summer, and my hummers showed no preference - they loved 'em all!

These are all good suggestions, I vote for the coccinia which are very easy to grow even from seed. Perhaps you could get around the strict guidelines by using suction cup type hummer window feeders depending on how many windows she has. In my location they rather go for the feeders first early in the season.

My hummers seem to prefer the fast food from the feeders to any of the plants that I grow for them, but here's a few that they seem to like:

- Bee Balm
- Butterfly Bush (Buddleia Davidii)
- Lantana
- Pineapple Sage
- Marigolds
- Sage (flowering variety)

Here is a link that might be useful: Debbie's Tips for Attracting & Feeding Hummingbirds

I was able to get pictures of hummers at the cardinal vine on our fence. You could grow it in a pot and if the patio has railings it could grow up it. They grow real easy from seed too. I have the seeds for cardinal vine with a fern leaf and the fan type leaf type. I also have Salvia 'Lady in Red' if you want some seeds. Just email me. :-) I don't know how to put pics on her or I would.

Pam

I wrote awhile ago about my momwho lives in Illinois and will need pots instead of plants because of strict planting guidelines...they really dont have many flowers in their development. only trees. She has a feeder which she loves...she might get a few early then a VERY long dry spell of no birds at all, she might get some again in early September. THats why I was thinking some extra potted plants around her patio would stir some activity....what do you all think? She lives in Bloomington Illinois

FUCHSIAS!!! The hummers in my yard adore them! They hang around year around. Fuchsias make beautiful potted plants.

Impatients, my friend lives in a senior condo commplex, she hangs red and bright apricot color ones out and she gets the hummers in multiples around her feeder at all times of the day! Happy Mother's Day early present for your mom!