There was a story in the local newspaper recently about a couple that works diligently to grow over 100 different varieties of flowers to attract hummingbirds to their garden in Madison. In the article, they talk about how you can get hummingbirds to visit a yard in the city, but that you have to work “much, much harder” than someone living in the country. They also say they’ve learned that you must provide both the flowers and the hummingbird feeders. I’m glad they are enjoying their wonderful hobby, but I fear the article made hummingbird gardening sound a lot more challenging than it needs to be.
I’ve never purposely planted anything to attract hummingbirds, and I don’t use feeders, yet I see hummingbirds every summer. In my yard, they are attracted to flowers as simple as zinnias and impatiens. They also like my Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) and Cardinal Flower (lobelia cardinalis) which are commonly-sold, easy-care perennials. The flower they seem most attracted to is salvia. They feed on all different kinds of salvia species (splendens, farinacea, etc.), but in my garden their favorite is salvia coccinea. I sprout two cultivars indoors from seed each spring, ‘Lady in Red’ and ‘Snow Nymph.’ I like to grow them because they are beautiful plants and pests don’t bother them. It’s merely a bonus that they attract hummingbirds. I’ve seen ‘Lady in Red’ plants for sale at garden centers if you want to grow them but don’t have the time or inclination to sprout your own plants from seed.
It’s exciting to see a hummingbird visit your garden. It’s even more thrilling when you’re outside and they fly so close to your face that you can feel the breeze their little wings make. Hummingbird gardening doesn’t need to be difficult. Just plant a few choice annuals and perennials and see what happens!