Designing ContainersCreate gorgeous planters full of flowers, veggies and more
This Hummingbird Haven compendium display a bounty of beautiful salad days through other declension , providing an teemingness of ambrosia for hummingbird to feed on before they get out for the season . excerpt from Container Theme Gardens ( c ) Nancy J. Ondra . Photos by : ( c ) Rob Cardillo . Used with license of Storey Publishing .
hiss bring audio and motion to your garden — component that are easy to blank out when you ’re choosing flowers and foliation for your container . For hummingbird in particular , a humble container garden can provide a smorgasbord of ambrosia - plenteous flowers . When attract hummingbird , the shape of the flower can be just as of import as the color . Blossoms that are tubular or trumpet - shaped are perfect for their long , tapered bills . crimson flowers are hummingbird magnets , but orangish , yellow , and blue blooms can also be enticing .
For plant pick , seeThe good 24 Plants to Attract Hummingbirds .
These rules of attraction are on display in this mere hummingbird container garden , created by Nancy Ondra , author ofContainer Theme Gardens . Suitable for a 14 - inch green goddess or hanging basketful , the five - industrial plant combination includes ‘ Bonfire’begonia(Begonia boliviensis ) , cigar flora ( Cuphea ignea ) , ‘ Gartenmeister Bonstedt ’ fuchsia ( Fuchsia triphylla ) , Superbells Saffroncalibrachoa(Calibrachoa ‘ Uscali4134 ’ ) , and ‘ Tropical Bronze Scarlet ’ canna ( Canna ) . All of these plants are designed to provide a bounty of beautiful blooms from spring through early fall . They thrive in full sun to fond shade in the North , but may call for some good afternoon shade in warm climate .
Click to enlarge .
Cigar Plant
The red , vasiform - shaped flowers of the cigar plant are specially intoxicating to hummingbirds . Alternatives let in ‘ Profusion Fire ’ zinnia or ‘ Vancouver Centennial ’ zonary geranium .
Begonia
‘ balefire ’ begonia feature frail trumpet - form prime and jagged carmine - edged leaves . option include Bonfire Choc Red begonia or another 6- to 8 - inch - tall , low - mounded trailing flora with nectar - full-bodied flower , such as golden hardy fuchsia or ‘ Summer Blaze ’ vervain .
Fuchsia
The primary saltation interest in this aggregation comes from the dark leafage of ‘ Gartenmeister Bonstedt ’ fuchsia . Alternatives let in ‘ Thalia ’ fuchsia or another 12- to 18 - inch - tall , just plant life with bell - shape or tubular flowers , such as ‘ Dwarf Red ’ flowering maple or ‘ Ruby Glow ’ starflower .
Canna
These vibrant color of this container show off especially well against the encompassing , cryptical over-embellished leave-taking of the ‘ Tropical Bronze Scarlet ’ canna . Alternatives admit ‘ Lucifer ’ or ‘ Red Futurity ’ canna or another 18- to 24 - inch - tall , upright plant with ambrosia - copious flowers , such as ‘ Acapulco Red ’ hummingbird mint or ‘ Lady in Red ’ Texas sage .
Calibrachoa
The gay , nectar - plenteous blossom of SuperbellsSaffron calibrachoacontrast beautifully with the bronze foliage of the fuchsia and the wide , deep purplish leaves of ‘ Tropical Bronze Scarlet ’ canna .
If your hummingbird container will be located in a fly-by-night area , you could replace some of these plant with subtlety - loving option . Ondra recommend using hummingbird attracter such ascoleus(Solenostemon scutellarioides ) , impatiens ( Impatiens ) , browallias ( Browallia ) , peewee plants ( Justicia ) , wishbone flowers ( Torenia),hostas(Hosta ) , andcardinal flower(Lobelia cardinalis ) .
Another tip : hummingbird be given to be very territorial and will chase after away other hummer from their favorite flowers . To provide more feeding opportunity and distribute the bounty , plant several containers and place them in different surface area of your yard , such as by your front door , outside your kitchen window , and on your back patio .
Hummingbird Feeding Facts(Courtesy ofworldofhummingbirds.com )
