Hummingbirds are tiny packages of blurry energy that hover and swoop in their quest for nectar. They willingly dine on sugar water in feeders, but flowers are a more dependable draw. Calvor Palmateer's fascination with hummingbirds has led him to build a garden of nectar-bearing flowers. His garden, on a hilltop in Victoria, British Columbia, is a delight to both its avian and human visitors.
Gardening and bird-watching are inseparable for Calvor. He owns a shop, For Wild Birds and Gardeners, that caters to bird-lovers. He's also a self-taught gardener, and he discovered long ago that hummingbirds are especially fond of strong, bright flower colors, such as red, purple, and orange. Even so, there must be nectar in the flower to keep the birds' interest. "The hummingbirds will tell you which flowers they like. Even if a plant has red blossoms, like some red fuchsias, they might have absolutely no nectar. Yet other fuchsias are fine. You just have to try them out," Calvor says.
Double flowers, such as delphiniums with extra rows of petals, can be less attractive to hummingbirds, as the nectar is harder to get to. Calvor recommends flowers with open tubular or trumpet shapes, which allow direct access to nectaries. A smorgasbord of hot-colored flowers, timed to bloom from spring through fall, keeps the hummers returning to his yard.
Several species of hummingbirds spend time in Calvor's garden. The types he most often sees are the rufous hummingbird, which summers here and migrates to Mexico for the winter, and the Anna's, which is a year-round resident. Nearly everywhere in North America, hummingbirds are welcome garden visitors.
But different types of hummingbirds have different tastes in flowers. In order to determine the best nectar sources, Calvor suggests that gardeners do some sleuthing into the feeding habits of local hummingbirds. "Look around at gardens where you live and see where the hummingbirds are," he says. "Try to find out what plants are attracting them. Region to region, it varies a bit." Victoria's mild climate--freezes are light and infrequent--allows Calvor to grow many plants that are not hardy in other parts of North America.
The many trees on and around Calvor's property afford protection and nesting sites for birds. Because he is eager to welcome thrushes and waxwings to his yard, he is adding berries to one area. "I'm growing a hedgerow with fruiting varieties of elderberry," he says. "The birds go crazy over them."
Calvor jokes that his picturesque hilltop is more of a diner for birds than a garden. In return for shelter and sustenance, the birds have become a never-ending source of amusement. "I can sit on the back deck on a summer evening watching tiny birds, a bit woozy on nectar, doing loop-the-loops, rising, and then diving. What could be better?"
CALVOR'S PICKS FOR HUMMINGBIRDS
* Coralbells (Heuchera). "Even though they have small flowers, hummingbirds like heucheras." Red-flowered varieties are best. Perennial; winter-hardy to Zone 4.
* Crocosmia 'Lucifer.' The fieriest of reds. Blooms in summer. Perennial; to Zone 6.
* Honeysuckle 'Dropmore Scarlet.' "Excellent for attracting hummingbirds but also, in my garden, aphids." Vine to 10 feet; to Zone 2.
* Penstemon 'Garnet.' "It forms a large mound with many blossoms and is one of the first plants hummingbirds fly to." Other penstemons are similarly alluring. Perennial to Zone 7; annual elsewhere.
* Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis). Spurred flowers in spring. Perennial; to Zone 2.
* Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis). In summers, bears 4-foot spires of red flowers. Perennial; to Zone 2.
* Red-hot poker (Kniphofia). "One of my favorites. They come in a variety of colors and sizes." Perennial; to Zone 7.
* Parlor maple (Abutilon). "The flowers are slightly covered by the leaves, but other than that, it is a great hummingbird plant." Shrub; to Zone 9; good in containers.
* Agastache 'Apricot Sunrise.' Also attracts bumblebees. Perennial; to Zone 6.
* Clove currant (Ribes odoratum). "One of the few plants loved by hummingbirds that has a scent." Shrub; to Zone 2.
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