The fall migration of hummingbirds is underway, so you might be seeing more of the tiny birds in your garden this month if you live in the Southeast. Male hummingbirds are the first to migrate, followed by immature males and females. So keep an eye out for that flash of a ruby throat and keep your ears open for the buzz of their wings. This lovely little bird was visiting me this week during lunch time. He landed just about a foot and a half … [Read more...]
Top 5 benefits of gardening with native plants
Native plants are adapted to the soil, temperature, rainfall, and fauna in the area in which they grow. As a result, they provide some benefits to the gardener and local wildlife that non-native plants bought from your local garden store may not. I like the look of native plants in my garden. I tend to mix them in with exotic plants and I end up with a pleasing hodgepodge of plants in my garden. Some native plants may look a little to “weedy” … [Read more...]
Red Buckeye Flowers For Butterflies, Bees, and Hummingbirds
Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia) The bright red flowers of this native shrub are a favorite of hummingbirds and butterflies in early spring. In the southeast, it blooms in late March and early April and you can hear the hummingbirds buzzing around the blooms. The red buckeye always catches my eye when it is blooming. These tall shrubs are usually covered in red blooms. This weekend there was a good hatching of eastern black swallowtails in my … [Read more...]
Echinacea species – Flowering plants for bees, butterflies, and birds
Butterflies and bees just love coneflowers in the genus Echinacea. You are probably familiar with purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), but there are many cultivars now available in a variety of colors: red, pink, white, orange, yellow, cream, green, and gold. There are even Echinacea flowers with double blooms. Echinacea is native to the central and eastern United States and can be found growing in prairies, fields, and even in open woods. … [Read more...]
Attract Hummingbirds and Butterflies with Bee Balm (Monarda spp)
If you’re looking for a native, perennial plant to add to your garden that will be easy to care for, add great color to your garden, and also attract hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies, bee balm (Monarda sp.) is a good choice. Hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees feed on the nectar of this flower. According to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Monarda has a special value to native bees. Bee balm is in the mint family; its leaves are … [Read more...]
Cross Vine: Bignonia capreolata
As a native plant, cross vine has a big advantage - it's easy to grow, hardy, tolerates the heat, has a low water requirement, and can grow in both full sun and part shade. It's in the same family as trumpet creeper (Bignoniaceae) and the flowers are very similar - trumpet-shaped, 2" long tubular and bright orange-red/yellow. Cross vine is native to the Southeast from Florida to Texas and up to West Virginia: Zones 6-9. My first encounter with … [Read more...]
The Many Faces of Salvia: Beautiful butterfly and hummingbird attracting flowers
Salvia is definitely one of my favorite garden plant genera. There are just so many choices and they are hardy and the butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds love them. Here are some of my favorites from my garden. All mentioned are perennial. Mexican salvia - Salvia leucantha These purple and white flowers are fuzzy! Who could ask for more? They get about 3-4 feet tall and are bush-like. Perennial. Tolerant of a variety of soils but does not like … [Read more...]
How to Create Good Wildlife Habitat in Your Backyard
If your garden includes sources of food throughout the year, water, a variety of structure (height and shape) that can be used for cover, and plenty of places for animals to create nests in to reproduce, it’s likely that you already have lots of wildlife in your yard. Wildlife requires 4 things to thrive Food Water Cover Places to reproduce Food Native plants are a great source of food for wildlife. You’ll need a mixture … [Read more...]
Mexican Salvia – Fall Blooming, Deer & Drought Resistant
Also known as Mexican bush sage, this salvia produces great fall color (purple and white) that attracts hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. It looks great mixed in with other flowers for interesting color combinations, or planted in a bunch to create a nice edge or border. Where to Plant Mexican Sage This plant thrives in full sun, but will tolerate some afternoon shade. It gets to be about 3-4 feet tall and just about as wide, so give it … [Read more...]
Butterfly Bush – Buddleia spp. (Buddleja)
If you're looking for a shrub that will attract hummingbirds and butterflies and also produce very sweet-smelling, attractive flowers, look no further. Butterfly bush really lives up to its name. When it is blooming, I see butterflies on it frequently. Hummingbirds seem to enjoy the nectar as well. Where to Plant a Butterfly Bush Butterfly bushes are hardy in zones 5-10 and need full sun. Once established, they don't require much water (as the … [Read more...]