How to Attract Hummingbirds and Butterflies to Your Gardens

Hummingbirds are among the most delicate of all birds.

Getting hummingbirds and butterflies to make their home in the garden means creating an environment that is not only desirable to humans but one that will provide all the things that are necessary for these animals to survive. Butterflies will pollinate flowers in much the same ways bees do, and hummingbirds are among the most fascinating of birds to watch as they dart in and around the flowers they feed from. Selecting the right plants to include in the garden is key, but that's not all that's needed.

Instructions

1. Provide plenty of bright colors in the garden landscape. You can do this with decorative mirrored balls, flags, or even a scarecrow. Hummingbirds are attracted to red, so including red in the garden will give them something to investigate.

2. 

   Add a water garden for decoration and attracting wildlife.

   Create a fresh, clean water source. This can be as simple as placing a bowl full of water in the center of the garden, and using a red bowl can be even more effective. Both hummingbirds and butterflies will be attracted to a safe drinking source. Butterflies prefer a shallow, still water source, while hummingbirds are not as particular and will drink from almost any type of water, even from fountains and waterfalls.

3. Include some ornamental shade trees. Butterflies in particular will spend the hottest part of the day in the shade, so including some taller trees will give them these cooler spaces.

4. 

   Wide open spaces will create a sense of security in the garden.

   Form a landscape that offers plenty of sunny spots and be sure the trees and plants are positioned with open spaces in between. The quick, highly maneuverable hummingbirds are often found searching for nectar in wide open spaces, while butterflies will be attracted the the open, sunny areas.

5. Plant some of the flowers that are known to attract hummingbirds. They require a large amount of food during the day to fuel their tiny bodies, and will be attracted to colorful flowers that produce a lot of nectar. Honeysuckle, bee balms, butterfly bushes, privets, sages and coneflowers are some of the species known for attracting hummingbirds.

6. 

   Butterflies are attracted to yellow, orange, purple and red flowers.

   Plant flowers that will attract butterflies also. Milkweed is crucial to the survival of the Monarch butterfly, so a portion of the garden devoted to this cottony plant is sure to get some attention. Also, include trees like the apple, oak and hawthorn, along with flowers like the sunflower, snapdragon, verbena and cornflower. Butterflies will also be attracted to herbs like sage and oregano, so planting an herb garden will also help attract butterflies.

Tips & Warnings

• Once the butterflies have found your garden, leaving some fresh fruit out for them will provide an additional food source.

References

• Old Farmer's Almanac: Plants that Attract Hummingbirds
• The Morton Arboretum: Plants That Attract Butterflies
• National Wildlife Federation: Garden for Wildlife; Attracting Butterflies

Resources

• University of Minnesota Extension: Creating a Butterfly Garden; Vera Krischik