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Wed, Feb 27, 13 at 11:06
| Hi! I have a flower bed that I am planning on turning into a butterfly/hummingbird garden. It is on the north side of our house, and on a slope. If I had to guess, I would say it is probably 10 feet wide by 15 feet long. (Although I'm horrible at estimating spaces). It is a bed my husband and I created when we moved into our house, so it's pretty much a blank canvas. So far, I've only planted 4 butterfly bushes on the side of the bed that borders the house. My hope is to hide the ugly concrete that is underneath our siding. I would like suggestions on plants (bushes, flowers, anything!) to provide the best environment for butterflies and hummingbirds to come to. Also, we have a 6 foot privacy fence that borders the one side of the bed, so climbing plants are welcome too! I would like them to not be too invasive though, because our vegetable garden is on the other side. :) Thank you! |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by greenthumbzdude (My Page) on Thu, Feb 28, 13 at 12:22
| Here are my top 10 attractors: 1. Beebalm 'Jacob Cline' (likes to spread out) 2. Coral Honeysuckle vine 3. Trumpet Creeper vine (can be aggressive) 4. Cardinal Flower 5. Black and Blue Saliva (needs protection in winter) *if you plant these you will get a lot of hummingbirds Here are my top 5 Butterfly Plants 1. Orange Butterfly Weed 2. Joe Pye Weed 3. Garden Phlox 'Jeana' 4. Summersweet 'Ruby Spice' 5.Purple Giant Hyssop |
This post was edited by greenthumbzdude on Thu, Feb 28, 13 at 12:32
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| Great! Thank you for your suggestions!! I'm starting to make a list so I'm ready for Spring! :) |
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| Here are some plants that worked for me. I am giving you the specific variety, but as far as I know,the actual species will work too. I have also included a picture of my garden to show you what the plants look like. Tango Hyssop Blue Butterfly Delphinium Purple Petunia Red Petunia Empress of India Nasturtium Foxglove Mini Bee Balm Hosta And don't forget a good hummingbird feeder! GOOD LUCK! |
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| Thanks so much! I actually have mickey mouse ear hostas my father-in-law gave me, that I have at the front edge of the bed right now. I saw hummingbirds going to them last summer, so I'll keep those there. Thanks for the picture and suggestions! It helps give me an idea of how to start planning for this bed, and I love how colorful yours is. I've got a couple of Hummzinger feeders right now, and I plan to add at least one to the garden as well. Once I get things planted and established, I'll post a picture. Thanks again! Keep any suggestions coming! :) |
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| Thanks for the support hermie3rd! That was my garden last year which was my first year. I have a hummzinger too! Completely eliminated my ant and wasp problems:) Here's a picture. The hyssop and delphinium were in bloom and a robin was foraging for worms. |
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| My top hummingbird flowers- 1. Lobelia cardinalis 2. Monarda Raspberry Wine 3. Penstemon-any 4. Salvias-any 5. Lonicera sempervirens 6. Agastache-any For butterflies- 1. Agastache Foeniculum or any 2. Helenium autumnale 3. Echinacea purpurea 4. Salvias-any 5. Eupatoriums-any 6. Sedums-any 7. Asclepias-any 8. Ratibidas-any Rhonda |
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| Thanks Rhonda for the suggestions! Eric580 - don't you love those feeders? I had a cheap one I bought from the grocery store, and I was emptying out a ridiculous amount of wasps from it. I pitched it at the end of last season and I'm replacing it with another Hummzinger. They're a little pricey, but I think well worth it! :) |
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- Posted by roper2008 7a-8 (lroper99@yahoo.com) on Wed, Mar 6, 13 at 22:15
| Like Rhonda posted, Lobelia cardinalis is a favorite in my garden. Cardinal Climber, Lady in Red salvia and Coral Nymph salvia are very good also. |
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- Posted by coolbutterfly 5A (My Page) on Sun, Mar 10, 13 at 21:13
| Hermie, I'm newer to the hummingbird scene, and i just got a new hummzinger a couple weeks ago..can't wait to try it. My two BEST hummer plants the past two seasons: 1. Agastache 'Ava'...they visit this every day. it's their home base plant. 2. black and blue salvia The best butterfly plants: verbena bonariensis- attracts MANY butterflies and hummingbirds too mexican sunflowers- attract butterflies AND hummingbirds big zinnias like cal giant or tall state fair- attract butterflies and hummingbirds liatris ligulistylis- attracts monarchs in MASS...amazing in late summer good luck, Tony |
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| Great! Thanks guys so much! Renee |
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| A few hidden away host plants for butterflies: Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis spp) and Pussytoes (Antennaria) -American Lady Butterflies Nettles-Red Admiral, Milbert's Tortoise Shell Fennel and Parsley in your herb garden- Eastern Black Swallowtail Marsh Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)- out front-Monarch, all-around nectar Butterfly Weed (A.tuberosa)-out front-Monarch, nectar for all. Trees for Butterflies include: |
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- Posted by texasmorningglory 8b Tx. (My Page) on Thu, Mar 21, 13 at 12:22
| I would also add some Buddleia. There are some gorgeous ones out now and hummingbirds and butterflies love them. Look for Miss Ruby or Miss Molly. Guinevere, Bicolor, Blueberry or Peach Cobbler just to name a few. I also suggest Salvias.... |
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| Make sure to include lots of Helena, Liatris and Asters to fuel the migrating Monarchs in the fall. |
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| Don't forget early spring bloomers that will help hummingbirds when they first arrive. Some are Virginia Bluebell Bleeding heart Columbine Lupines And lily of the valley Good luck :) |
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| Thanks, everyone!! :) |
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- Posted by bluebirdbabe z5 MI (My Page) on Mon, Apr 8, 13 at 16:06
| just a note...I saw red liquid in the hummingbird feeder...plain sugar water is the best for the hummers. 4 cups boiled water to 1cup of sugar. stir to melt the sugar, cool and feed :) Thanks for the question!! I got a lot of tips too :) I raise monarch butterflies in my laundry room, thanks for all of the suggestions! |
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| Yeah silly me :) Aunt got red nectar mix as a gift. Only a little left though. |
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| Top hummer plants in my gardens - Monarda didyma There are many other species of plants they nectar on, but not quite as frequently as the above - Buddleia, Cleome, Physostegia, Aquilegia, Dicentra, Silphium perfoliatum, and others. |
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| Ipomposis rubra is a fantastic hummingbird plant. I always grew this plant up on my 14th story balcony and it never failed to bring the hummers up to feed. A stunning plant when planted as a group in the garden or it does great in pots. Mike |
Here is a link that might be useful: Ipomopsis rubra
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- Posted by Harleylove 9 (My Page) on Tue, Apr 23, 13 at 7:05
| I never see it mentioned but the absolute favorite hands down for both hummingbirds and butterflies in my garden is Porterweed. Once it starts blooming, the hummers will guard it. Not the prettiest plant but must have a high sugar content because They absolutely LOVE it. |
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| Eric580-- thanks for the post about early plants for hummers. That was a question I wanted to post, since so many plants suggested are summer bloomers. |
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| My hand down winners are giant pink phlox for butterflies. Mine grew 4 1/2 feet tall and as long as I prune faded blooms, they bloom until frost. For hummers, the salvias, of course. But this year I'm planting plenty of pineapple sage to bring them in to our new home and my new gardens! Best of luck, looks like you've gotten worlds of good advice here! |
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| My hand down winners are giant pink phlox for butterflies. Mine grew 4 1/2 feet tall and as long as I prune faded blooms, they bloom until frost. For hummers, the salvias, of course. But this year I'm planting plenty of pineapple sage to bring them in to our new home and my new gardens! Best of luck, looks like you've gotten worlds of good advice here! |
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| My hand down winners are giant pink phlox for butterflies. Mine grew 4 1/2 feet tall and as long as I prune faded blooms, they bloom until frost. For hummers, the salvias, of course. But this year I'm planting plenty of pineapple sage to bring them in to our new home and my new gardens! Best of luck, looks like you've gotten worlds of good advice here! |
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- Posted by Leafhead none (johngern@gmail.com) on Wed, Apr 24, 13 at 10:17
| Swallowtails esp love the Phlox:) |
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- Posted by ponyexpress_1 6a Lancaster NY (My Page) on Tue, May 21, 13 at 23:33
| Bronze fennel seems to be very good host plant for the black swallowtails. I had them lay eggs two years in a row on this. Raised some of them up in the house. My favorite hummingbird plants are Salvia lady in red, Monarda Jacob cline, Fuchsia gartenmeister, red petunia and million bells, zinnia, Mexican sunflower, canna lily, coral honeysuckle, agastache, Firecracker penstemon, and red cypress vine. |
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