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davessels

Butterfly, Hummingbird and Bee Garden

Debra Vessels
9 years ago

I spent February adding a new garden bed just for butterfly and humming bird plants. It is 4 x 16', on a west facing full sun fence, I also added to a shadier east facing fence many butterfly/hummingbird attracting plants. Plus and 4x8' raised herb bed. Also, all bees are welcome. I loved having them on my lavender last year.
I have planted:
Black Knight Butterfly bush
2 Black and blue salvia
Salvia, Heat wave
Salvia, Red Sage
Honeysuckle, Major Wheeler
Agastache Tango
Manardo 'Jacob Kline'
Gaura, Ballerina Rose
Gaura, 'Siskiyou Pink'
Scabiousa, Butterfly Blue
Yarrow, four varieties
Nepeta, two varieties
2 Asclepias Tuberosa
2 Asclepias incarnata
Cardinal Climber
Lobelia Cardinal Flower
Lobelia Great Blue
Coreopsis Pink Sapphire
Purple Coneflower
Sedum, Mr Goodbud
Sedum, Autumn Joy
Dark red verbena
Red Lantana
2 variaties catmint
Lavender
6 dill
2 parsley

There are still seeds I have started and I realize some of these are hybrids that have less nectar content, which I am just learning about. I have more dill coming up, that is where I had the Black Swallowtail cats last year, so I want to make sure I have plenty.
I also have flowering shrubs, mock orange for one and hibiscus ready to bloom.
All I can do now is water and wait. I think it was June of last year when I found the Black Swallowtail cats on my dill plants.
I will try this summer to find some more native plants to add to the garden, but my full sun beds are full.....
I still have several native plants to add, but I can't find locally.
Any other suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank you all for sharing your experience and knowledge.
I double posted this from the Butterfly garden, just in case there are local gardenders that don't visit that forum. Would love to hear from Texas gardeners on what does best for you,
Thanks, Debra

Comments (12)

  • carrie751
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I would add Flame Acanthus and Turk's Cap.

  • melvalena
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You have a great list of plants there!

    There is one more you should have. It starts blooming for me about July. Flame acanthus or Hummingbird bush.

    Here is a link that might be useful: flame acanthus info

  • melvalena
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oh Carrie... I was just coming back to mention the Turk's Cap!!

  • Debra Vessels
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Great suggestions to both of you, especially the part shade for the turks cap and Flame Acanthus. I have alot of room in the part shade beds.
    Thanks, Debra

  • melvalena
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I think both of those will do well in part shade.

  • Molly2502
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Great List of plants Debra. Our hummers, butterflies & bees here love my Mexican Sunflower Plants(Tithonia Fiesta Del Sol). I found one that only grows 28-30 inches high) as my husband does not like the Tall Variety that is topping about 6-7 Feet now. I just cut in back about 2 feet on the top. You have to dehead them(so they will keep blooming and watch out for the seed pods as they can really stick your fingers. Leave seed pods along with Coneflower seed pods & chickadee's will devour them in the fall. But they are full sun. We already had this Sage bushes that a lot of people grow here(Denton, Texas). I wish it bloomed all the time(only blooms when it is about to rain). Next year planting Turk's Cap, Gabor Trumpet Vine(Campis radicans "Gabor'), Honeysuckle Vine you already have and planting a Chaste Tree. They seem to really enjoy my Phlox Phlopaniculata "Bright Eyes". We moved here from N.C. about 1 and half years ago. I am finding out that my Full sun plants are not really fun sun here in the Texas heat. Going to also try a Hardy Fuchsia just to see what it does here(it likes part shade to shade.) We are having a time with either mites or white flies taking the plants down in the drought and heat. Can't spray them as I will kill what I am trying to attract. Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii) did not make it first year here so we planted the "Low and Behold' Variety in a Large Planter. Had to put it on roller & keep moving it in & out of the sun. Going to try and over-winter it in Garage. Just found out today that I am not suppose to plant any plants in a plastic container as that keeps the roots hot so I am repotting it in a Ceramic Container- suppose to keep roots cool or I can try some type of Double-potting method. Our Hosta's did not do that well here like N.C. even after adding peat moss to the garden. We also ran out of areas to plant sun loving plants. In N.C. (S. coccinea) was a big hit along with Foxglove(likes shade) and Spider Flowers(Cleome hassleriana) but it too is sun loving plant .Your Cypress Vine should be a big hit. The hummers are really fueling up for their trip and they will get fat. I did not know that my Pineapple Sage plant would not bloom until October. It was blooming when I bought it & I pinched the top out so it would bush out but the mites attack it. They are looking good now but still no blooms yet. The young hummers are checking us out when we are outside which is always fun. Hummingbirds fly a certain route around houses etc. So be careful when changing parking spots in your driveway/road. I just found out that many kill themselves while running into parked vehicles and storms throw them down or into trees so big canopy of trees are great shelter & shade. We are having to put up window bird decals up. Woodpeckers and baby chickadees pecked our feeders apart this spring when they fledged. It bother me a little but it was kind of funny. I am having to change the feeders twice a day as the solution is getting cloudy when temps. hit 100 degrees or more and I boil it 2 minutes. Thanks again for your great list. Bonnie

  • bostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Aromatic or fall aster (symphyotrichum oblongifolium) is another zone 6 hardy one bees like that puts on its show about the time many of the others listed are petering out. Recommended for full sun, but our 'October skies' still blooms nicely in partial shade.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Fall Aster ( Aster oblongifolius , recently reclassified to Symphyotrichum oblongifolium)

  • junegreen
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I always add 3 bronze fennel. Butterflies love to lay eggs there and then the cats feed on the fennel leaves.

  • cynthianovak
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Pacifica Gold and Silver Mum....blooms in late November and looks like a sedum. Sorry my photo was too big and was rejected. Butterflies love it!

  • wexy1000
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My Gregg's Mist Flowers have been COVERED by butterflies most of the summer.

  • Gretchen W.
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Milk weed does well for butterflies.

  • Molly2502
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Does anyone know what the Hummers were eating late summer on the Bark of Neighbors Oak Trees? I figured it had to be tiny insects but could not tell what type even with my Binoculars. They were going up and down and around those trees for 15-20 minutes at a time.

    Debra V, How did your Garden do this Summer for the Hummers and Butterfly's? You must have had tons of them. Did you get any pictures? I got some but will have to have my husband teach me how to post them.