Ruby Throated Hummingbird Below: Fuchsia 
How to arrange a container full of hummingbird-attracting annuals
Since humming birds fly, a container that is either up a few feet from the actual ground such as a hanging basket or a container that is on a deck or a window box will serve you, and the hummingbird, best. To attract the hummingbirds, look for plants with small tubular flowers that are in clusters. Also, plants labeled for butterflies will work well.
For a sunny spot, some recommendations are: Penta, Lantana, and Salvia with red flowers. In a shadier spot, Fushias would be great. Also vines that can grow up a trellis or hanging basket wires such Cardinal Vine or Cypress Vine will make a nice addition. Just remember that all the plants in the container don’t have to be for hummingbirds. Have some plants that will attract the hummingbirds and some to make the container complete and pretty and both you and the birds will be happy. About Franklin Park Conservatory 1777 E. Broad St.
Columbus, Ohio 43203
614-645-8733, 800-214-PARK ADMISSION*
$10 for adults
$8 for seniors and students
$5 for children ages 3 to 17
Members and children under 2 FREE
* All exhibitions are included in the general admission price HOURS
Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Open holiday Mondays Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day HOLIDAY HOURS
The Conservatory is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Martin Luther King Day, Presidents' Day, Easter, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day. Thanksgiving Eve hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. 
Above: Lion's Tail 
Above: Pink Hollyhock and Red Columbine All photos: istockphoto.com |
creating hummingbird gardens By Barbara Arnold There is something exciting about seeing a hummingbird visit your garden. Could it be that we can only catch a glimpse of these fascinating tiny birds as they pause for a drink? Can we entice them to linger? The hummingbird found here in Ohio is the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. This is the smallest type of hummingbird, weighing less than an ounce and reaching 3 to 3 ¾ inches in adulthood, with a wingspan of 4 to 4 ¾ inches. One of the incredible things about hummingbirds is not only their ability to fly forward and backward, but also to hover in one place. These birds are mostly solitary, but when they do get together in the garden or at a feeder, they are aggressive toward each other. More feeders help but often don’t prevent this behavior. Hummingbird gardens to attract these birds work best when they are planted with a diverse mix of annuals, perennials, vines, shrubs and trees. The annuals will bring in fast color and nectar while the perennials and hardy material will be the same from one year to the next, bringing the birds back from year to year. Annuals - Fuchsia (Fuchsia): These flowers droop gracefully from a hanging basket, and usually have bright red sepals and purple petals, but can vary from white to dark red, purple-blue, and orange.
- Lantana (Lantana): This is a tropical flowering plant with flower colors ranging from yellow, orange and red to a combination of these; it is also available in creamy white, pink and purple.
- Lion’s Tail (Leonotis): Growing up to 10 feet tall, making it even more attractive to hummingbirds, this exotic plant has an incredible orange flower that appears like a pom-pom on a spike.
- Four-O’Clocks (Mirabilis jalapa):This is a fun flower that has tubular blooms in white, yellow and shades of pink. Sometimes the colors are broken and mixed together. This plant grows to about 2 feet tall.
- Flowering Tobacco (Nicotiana):There are many sizes of these, some growing only 12 inches, others reaching 5 feet tall. The trumpet-like flowers come in white, pink, red, chartreuse and purple.
Perennials - Hollyhocks (Alcea): These are tall, old-fashioned flowers that reach 5 feet or more. They are found in a variety of colors including red, white, pink and purple.
- Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadense): Columbines are 1 to 2 feet tall and produce red and yellow flowers.
- Bee Balm (Monarda didma): Bee Balm’s flowers come in shades of red, pink and purple. Ranging in height from 24 to 48 inches, this plant is in the mint family and will expand by spreading.
- Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis): A bright red flower tops this perennial and grows 2 to 4 feet tall.
Vines - Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans): This is a vigorous vine with orange to red-orange tubular flowers.
- Cardinal Vine (Ipomoea x multifida): A great annual, the Cardinal Vine has medium green leaves that look like deeply cut fronds and red flowers.
- Cypress Vine (Ipomoea quamoclit):Very finely cut medium green leaves and delicate red trumpet flowers cover this annual.
Shrubs - Butterfly Bush (Buddleia): This bushy shrub has flower spikes that appear on new wood. Plant size and flower color will depend upon which species and variety you choose.
- Rose of Sharon (Hybiscus syriacus): These are upright flowering shrubs with large funnel shaped flowers that can be red, pink, blue, white or a combination of these colors.
- Weigela (Weigela):This shrub comes in many sizes, so be sure to pick the best one for your garden. Flowers are in shades of red, pink or burgundy.
Tips - Look for flowers with flower tubes and plants at various heights. Remember you’re not limited to just red flowers but can choose flowers in purple, yellow, orange, white, pink, and blue as these will also have nectar.
- Hummingbirds get most of their energy from nectar found in flowers, but they do gain added protein by eating small spiders and soft-bodied insects.
- The addition of a hummingbird feeder is a good idea, when you consider that an adult hummingbird needs about 1,000 blossoms each day to survive. A feeder is a fast and easy way for hummingbirds to perch and drink. These should be cleaned at least once every other day during the hot summer months, as the sugar will ferment and could easily cause deadly salmonella poisoning to hummingbirds. Peak feeder activity seems to be early morning and late evening. Increased activity has also been noted before major thunderstorms. The feeder formula is one part sugar dissolved in four parts boiling water that should later be cooled. You don’t have to add red food coloring and should not use honey.
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