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Every spring, usually starting in February, hummingbirds begin their northward migration. Depending on where one is in the U.S., they may begin to see them as early as the end of February, sometime in March, or not until April or later if you live far north. In the eastern half of the United States, Ruby-Throat hummingbirds are the only hummingbirds that are known to be present, however elsewhere, further west, there can be many different varieties.

EARLY MIGRATION -

Early in their migration, there are rarely any flowers that are blooming to provide them with sufficient nectar. Hummingbirds also eat bugs so the nectar we feed them and the nectar from flowers are not their only food source. To help them make the trip, people who live in the southern part of the United States will often make the nectar a bit stronger. They will do the same thing when the hummingbirds make their journey south for winter.

PLANNING -

When planning a hummingbird garden, the garden needs to offer the hummingbirds a wide variety of nectar rich plants, but one will also want to put those plants where they can be easily seen by people. They should also be placed in locations that are visible to hummingbirds from their resting places. That means that it is wise to look for flowering plants that grow in both sun and shade, or that will grow in partial shade.

Another thing that is important to consider is that the flowers one chooses should bloom at different times. A hummingbird garden will need to have nectar rich flowers as soon after the hummingbirds arrive in their northern destinations as possible,but they will also need to have nectar rich flowers as a food source all throughout the growing season. Look for flowers that bloom at different times so that there will be things in bloom the entire time the hummingbirds are around.

WHAT KIND OF FLOWERS?

The kind of flowers one plants is every bit as important as the liquid nectar we give them. Some flowers are known to attract hummingbirds because of the amount of nectar they contain and because of the shape of the flowers. Bright colors are helpful for attracting the hummingbirds because they are easy to see, but they will find flowers that are rich sources of nectar anyway.

*Hibiscus -

The shape of hibiscus flowers is ideal for hummingbirds. They are rich sources of nectar. There are many varieties of hibiscus, and Rose of Sharon is one of the hardier varieties.

*Cardinal Climber and Cypress Vine -

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