Hi ShphrdGrl,

As far as I know, pretty much anything that blooms red or orange will work great to attract hummingbirds! We have a trumpet vine (dark orange blooms) and see hummingbirds every year. Also, consider a hummingbird feeder, and instead of buying nectar mixes make some sugar water to put in it. They will still need real nectar, but will visit your feeder, and they even have some that stick right to the window for easy viewing.

As for butterflies, they will be attracted by anything that blooms. Try to plan a garden that has something blooming all the time so you don't miss them. We can grow butterfly bushes here, they bloom in a variety of colors, and they are great for attracting butterflies, hence the name. They grow like a perennial flower but get to be the size of a large shrub each summer, then you cut them back in the fall.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Kelly

Thanks Kelly,
Im sorry I took so long to reply, I noticed this post just now... Thanks for the comment :-). I havn't gotten around to putting in a flower garden yet, but I do see a humming bird flying near my window giving me a sign that I need to put out the feeders...

It's not too late to put in your flower garden, in fact if you're going to do it now, wait just a few more days until the moon starts waxing. My "wildflower" garden is a haven for all kinds of butterfies and it's true that they do seem to go for anything that blooms, but so far their favorites seem to be the Zinnias, which are very easy to grow. Whatever flowers you do plant, try to use the tall varieties, since butterfiles are safer up out of the reach of cats! Also if you plant dill (which looks very pretty growing in amongst tall flowers) you will attract black and yellow swallowtail butterfiles, as this is one of the things their caterpilars love to eat.

Hummingbirds seem to love my hanging petunias, but I notice they prefer the warmer reds to the pinks and purples. They also have enjoyed my garden phlox, but that worries me because it definitely puts them in reach of the cats. If I grow them this year I think I'll put them in window-boxes up high.

Wow, Sounds great Sleepy Maggie! Thank you for you input :-D. I will look for them next time I run into town...