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Fancy making a few new feathered friends this spring? Attracting hummingbirds to your yard can be surprisingly easy: You can find the species in every state, and both feeders and colorful flowers can entice them to visit. Try it yourself and you'll be part of one of the biggest gardening trends of the year. "We're seeing a ton of interest in hummingbirds," says Katie Tamony, chief marketing officer and trendspotter for the plant company Monrovia. "They create so much movement and life in the garden, and I think people want that more and more."
Beyond their charm, hummingbirds pollinate plants similar to bees and butterflies, which helps sustain the ecosystem. "We're calling them the 'glamour pollinator.' They're great because they'll take the nectar from a plant and spread it around to other plants," Tamony says. And once they visit your yard, the same birds are likely to return year after year, which means you'll have pals for life! Consider a hummingbird garden an essential spring upgrade. Here's how to feather your nest, ahem, yard to make it happen.
Add colorful native plants
Look for bright, tubular flowers that contain nectar that hummingbirds feed on. They're most drawn to the color red, but orange and pink blooms will also do the trick. Mix annuals and perennials and try to use plants with different bloom times, so there's always nectar available during the season.
Bee balm, trumpet honeysuckle, sage, columbine, lantana and pentas are all smart picks, but check that they're native to your area before planting them. If you're not sure, visit your local nursery and ask or you can check this plant database from the National Audubon Society. Whatever flowers you choose, the pros at Monrovia recommend planting several together so there's enough nectar. Avoid insecticides and herbicides to keep your visitors from ingesting poison.
You'll need a trowel to dig holes for your new plants, and this traditional pick is the way to go, says Laura Janney, a professional gardener and gardening teacher based in New Jersey, who calls the handle "very comfortable." Made from ash wood, it will get smoother with time. And the stainless steel blade is rust- and corrosion-resistant.
Pardon the pun, but a good pair of gloves will also come in handy, and in general, you don't need to spend more than $10 on a pair. Diane Blazek, executive director of the National Garden Bureau, likes these $8 gloves from Mud, which have a textured palm that helps you get a better grip on tools.
Make bending down in the dirt a little easier on your body with a knee pad, says Tamony. Made by Fiskars, this one is constructed from lightweight EVA foam that won't absorb moisture.
Hang a hummingbird feeder
These tiny birds have a huge appetite: They must eat every 10 to 15 minutes, which means visiting more than 1,000 flowers per day! To supplement natural food sources, hang a hummingbird feeder filled with sugar water, which you can make by combining 1/4 cup sugar with 1 cup water and boiling it for one to two minutes, according to Audubon.
Nectar can spoil, especially if it's hot out, so change the sugar water regularly and watch for any signs of cloudiness, which indicate that it's going bad. And clean out feeders about once a week. Audubon suggests using a solution of one part white vinegar to four parts water, then rinsing well with warm water.
More than anything, your garden should be a place to relax, and having hummingbirds visit your yard "is a great way to make it feel more like a Garden of Eden," says Tamony. At night, this handblown glass feeder emits colored light, powered by a solar panel at the top, to add to the soothing environment.
How sweet is this single feeder? Swirls of handblown glass give it a one-of-a-kind look, and it comes in five color variations so you can mix and match. If you're hanging more than one feeder of any size, place them far enough apart that the hummingbirds will not see each other; otherwise one could start acting dominant and deter others from feeding.
To really get up close to these incredible animals, consider a feeder that suctions to your window. This option has two ports anchored by delicate copper wire. Just keep in mind the feeders are small, so you'll likely to have to refill them every day or two once the hummingbirds start flocking.
Because hummingbirds are drawn to bright colors, most feeders are vibrant, but you can find subtle options too. Designed to look like a mason jar, this pick has tinted blue glass and five ports. The wide mouth makes it easy to refill and clean — no surprise it gets more than 5,600 five-star ratings.
Bird nerds of all ages will get hours of joy from this smart hummingbird feeder, which has a wide-angle 2K camera for capturing shots of your feathered friends. You can stream the feed directly to your phone using the accompanying app, which can identify more than 1,200 bird species. Talk about must-see TV!
If you don't want to stand over a pot of boiling sugar and water, you can get ready-made nectar. Many versions come dyed red, ostensibly to attract hummingbirds, but it's not necessary. This pick gets nearly 19,000 five-star reviews; just make sure to change it regularly as you would DIY nectar and refrigerate any extra until you're ready to use it.
Provide shelter and water sources
Though hummingbirds are known more for flitting about than staying in one place for long, they do need perches and sheltered areas for protection from predators and extreme weather. Trees (of any size) and shrubs — including container varieties —will do the trick, but if you don't have any in your yard, you can add ready-made perches near feeders and flowers. Even a dead branch with little twigs can serve as a resting spot. You'll also want to have a constant source of fresh water for both drinking and bathing. These little birds love to sit and preen in shallow water, so a mister or drip fountain is a must.
This made-in-America perch is designed with a branch-shaped base to mimic the real thing. The brand recommends placing it in a well-protected area within a foot of a food source so the birds can keep watch when they're not eating.
A solar-powered fountain makes this larger bird bath more hospitable to hummingbirds, who like the sound and movement of dripping and misting water. The bronze coating gives it a beautiful sheen — plus it makes the bath crack- and weather-resistant.
Perched on thin stakes, these copper garden ornaments sway with the breeze — it doesn't get more soothing! Their bowl shape collects small amounts of rainwater, making them the perfect spot for a bit of splashing and bathing.
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