Attract Hummingbirds and Butterflies by Having These Flowers

The first time you plant a hummingbird or butterfly garden is incredibly enjoyable and rewarding. But where do you start? With so many blooms and bushes to choose from, it can be difficult to figure out which one to choose. The good thing is that to build the garden you've always wanted, all you require is a bit of information and direction. In no time, you'll wake up to the picturesque whirring sound of butterflies and hummingbirds' wings while enjoying the most beautiful garden in the neighborhood.

Consider Your Garden's Structure

To make a butterfly or hummingbird garden, you need to think about the entire layout of your backyard. In order to draw butterflies and hummingbirds, think about a tiered garden that will provide a variety of things. With all the various types of flowers, plants, and trees you can select from, a good way to begin planning your dream garden is to think about the local climate. It is important to select species with native habitat to the area that will offer the most nectar than hybrids or exotics (bonus that native plants also flourish with little need for care). By selecting species that have various blooming times, your garden can provide nectar all year round. This can result in content hummingbirds! Keep in mind when you are planting your garden that you should leave some space between every plant. So, hummingbirds can navigate around and stay put when they spot that particular flower that they are drawn to. You can also arrange your garden to save water by putting the same plants.

Flowers to Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds aren't dull in their floral preferences! They are extremely visual creatures, and while the red flowers are known for attracting these feathered beauties, they don't make distinctions in regard to color. They're frequently seen attracted by the purple, white, orange, blue, and pink blooms, too! Below are a few of the most popular species that attract hummingbirds.

Perennials:

• Bee Balm
• Butterfly bush (also attracts butterflies)
• Columbine
• Daylily
• Iris
• Lupine
• Scarlet Sage (grown as annual in cooler climates)
• Scarlet Trumpet Honeysuckle

Biennials:

• Foxglove
• Hollyhock
• Impatiens (Impatient Lucy)
• Larkspur
• Petunia
• Annuals:
• Cleome
• Fuchsia (grown as a perennial in certain zones)

Flowers to Butterflies

If you're seeking to make your garden become an oasis for butterflies, then you're in the right place! Hummingbirds and butterflies are alike in their preferences for plants. They both like nectar-bearing brightly colored red, yellow, orange, pink, and purple tubes of flowers (although butterflies are more likely to prefer smaller flower tubers). To keep butterflies in your garden all year, you have to be prepared to provide food for their offspring! This implies incorporating plants that are able to serve the entire cycle of a butterfly's journey, such as a spot where they can lay eggs as well as food sources for butterflies' larvae (caterpillars) as well as areas to make chrysalides and nectar-producing sources for adult butterflies. Be sure to choose species native to your region because butterflies, as well as their native counterparts, have evolved over time and depend upon each other to survive and pollinate. Below are a few of the top plants that attract butterflies and provide food for their offspring!

Flowers That Attract Butterflies:

• Alyssum
• Aster
• Bee Balm
• Butterfly Bush
• Calendula
• Cosmos
• Lupine
• Scarlet Sage (grown as annual in cooler climates)
• Dianthus
• Fennel
• Globe Thistle
• Goldenrod
• Hollyhock
• Lavender
• Liatris
• Marigold

Plants That Attract Butterfly Larvae (Caterpillars):

• Borage
• Fennel
• Grasses
• Hollyhocks 
• Lupine