A Garden of Nectar

A Garden of Nectar

In planning or redesigning a garden, it takes a lot of time sitting and thinking.  What is my goal for this garden, you might ask yourself? Then you take out paper and pen and map out the different areas.  One thing to keep in mind is how the sunlight hits the various beds and how the particular plants you want are in need of that sun: partial shade, full shade or full sun?

But there's another consideration too.  What kinds of wildlife do I want to invite into my yard?  I happen to love hummingbirds.  I've always had a feeder or two.  I enjoy their antics and watching them buzz around dancing and diving about.  Hummingbirds are nectar-drinking birds.  In my look into it, I find there are over 53 species of North American birds of all kinds that love the sweet liquid from various plants and trees.  All these birds are helpful in the pollination process.  The main nectar-sippers are Hummingbirds and Orioles, but mockingbirds, tanagers and grosbeaks enjoy the juice too.  So, by inviting this particular set of wildlife into your garden, you are helping the cycle of life.  You get to enjoy the show; the plants are benefitted, and the nectar sippers get to eat.

Since hummingbirds are my main objective, I have to think about the plants they enjoy most.  A few are the Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans), Bee Balm (Monarda didyma), Columbine (Aqui9legia canadensis) and Coral Bells (Heuchera sanguinea).  There are many others as well such as Paintbrushes, Hyssops, Salvias and Twinberries.

Another consideration is a water features needs to be incorporated.  Hummies like bathing in shallow water with lots of water droplets.  Lucky for me I already have a bird bath and a solar fountain at the ready.  I also already have the Coral Bells, a start taken from my old house, and a gift from my grandmother's garden a long time ago.  I'm looking into expanding with more nectar plants into my landscape.

Meantime, we can do more research to learn about turning your yard into a wildlife refuge through our gardening efforts.  The Audubon Society can help us on this journey.  Visit their site that explains how to get started transforming your little piece of land.  How to Create a Bird-Friendly Yard | Audubon 

Several books were also recommended, and I'm interested in reading these.  "The Audubon Society Guide to Attracting Birds and Hummingbird Gardens, both by Stephen W. Kress.  Happy planning!