Both Purple Coneflower and Cardinal Flower are tall, spiky plants, so they may not help round out your bed. I've grown both for years, butterflies like the PC, never have seen a hummer at them. But I can't say enough about the CF. They can be grown in anything from almost full sun to shade, in beds, bogs, along the edges of ponds, and in containers. I like them best in 'bog containers' on my deck. A little female guarded them all last Summer, she's the one in these pics with the yellow stripe of CF pollen on her head.

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There are some dwarf coneflowers, I believe "Kim's Knee High" is one of them. Most others though are tall & spiky, as are Cardinal Flowers. I'm having a hard time thinking of shorter mounding flowers for hummers though. You could try columbines, some are relatively short. I have a gorgeous unnamed one that's burgundy, short and mounded. But, they bloom too early in the hummer season for my taste. Plus, I've never seen a hummer at any of mine, and I have a bunch, all over. Maybe heuchera's; I've never seen them at those either. A dwarf monarda would work too; I tried "Petite Delight", but it never returned, and I haven't tried it since. If anything comes to mind, I'll post back; hopefully some better suggestions will come about ;)

Great pics! Can you elaborate on the PVC feeder?

A good list from the OP...for a more mounding type of hummer attractor, try wave petunias. Not as good as your other choices, but will help the bed look more balanced.

Oops...you asked for perennials. Petunias won't do that for you, although they can self-seed. And they're cheap annuals to put in containers to fill in any gaps between your perennials.

Back to the perennials, maybe coral bells?...their flowers are spiky, but then the foliage can be geranium-like or other rounded shapes (although there are spiky-leafed varieties too). Variegation of all kinds as well. They can be striking as a contrast plant, but usually like a little shade. Tucked among larger shrubs or perennials may work for this too.

mbuckmaster: This will probably give you more details than you want...

Here is a link that might be useful: PVC feder

Ha! Genius, ctnchpr!

Thanks for the suggestions. I also went out and purchased two hummy feeders this past Thursday. On Saturday I was looking out into the garden and saw our first customer! It was too far away for me to be able to tell M/F/kind but I know a hummy when I see one.

I hope it comes back and brings some friends.

I'm thinking of purchasing some Salvia - red. I know it is spiky too but I guess maybe this will be my spiky garden. ;)

For hummingbird plants I would suggest Agastache rupestris. It is one of the few good hummer plants that is hardy for us here in NY. In a protected area some Salvia greggiis are hardy both of these plants are shorter and bushier. If you can find them Iris fulva (copper Iris) is nice but will need lots of moisture. Salvia coccinea 'Lady in Red' and 'Forest Fire' are not perennial but will reseed for us. Both reach a height of under 2ft. and are more mounding. Maltese Cross is a clump forming perennial that works for both hummers and butterflies. Native easter Columbine is an excellent early spring perennial bloomer. feel free to contact me off list if you need more hummer plant suggestions as that is all I grow.

Penny

Rounder mounding, I like wild geranium (geranium maculatum).

Well today I went a bit crazy with the plant buying. I got (among other things) Cardinal flower, Salvia - black & blue, Purple Coneflower, variegated Jacob's Ladder, and two Asiatic Lilies. I know, more spiky flowers, but some are less spiky than others.

Let's hope some of these bring the little bugger back. I haven't seen him since the first sighting over a week ago. Granted it has been very cold and rainy for the past week and if I were a hummer I would've high-tailed it back south.

Black and Blue is always a winner for me and Cardinal flower works later in the season (normal bloom time). I got rid of all the jacob's ladder and daylilies and I am about to get rid of most of my coneflowers. Any thing they don't use goes so I have more room for more appropriate plants.

Penny

I wouldn't get rid of the coneflowers. They love them in my yard. Hummers eat a lot more insects than most realize and the coneflowers are chock full of tiny insects that hummers love.

I will be keeping a couple of coneflowers but the rest are going to other new gardeners. The reseed so bad that I now have over 5o coneflowers and they take away from my salvia space. I have them right outside my living room window and never have seen a hummer go near them. But they are all over the salvias in front of them.

Penny