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HOME JULY 2019 4 Staying with our theme of purposeful gardens, here is another one to consider for 2019: gardening for hummingbirds. In recent numbers of the small birds are fluctuating more than usual. Most experts believe it has to do with the environment. They need specific requirements to sur- vive and will move on if their needs are not met. A simple feeder is just not enough. As cities and suburbs grow, the environ- ment they need moves farther away. So if we want to keep them around we need to create a favorable garden environment. These gardens need to offer water, shel- ter, resting spots in both sun and shade, and food. They are so fussy that the lack of just one or two of these may cause them to move on. The most important feature in a hum- mingbird garden is water, both moving and still. You will attract more hummers with proper water features then you will with flowers. For some reason moving water, such as streams, fountains, or sprin- kling devices, are extremely important to hummingbirds. Also, if it's possible to set up a light misting device during the hot days of summer, they'll use it to help cool down. Although some trees and shrubs do offer some nectar, hummingbirds rely mainly on them for shelter, nesting and resting areas. It is important to have a diversity of these plants, both deciduous and ever- green, to make sure you are covering all of these needs. They have two food sources: insects and flower nectar. The insects provide protein and the nectar provides other essential vitamins and minerals. Since hummingbirds have virtually no sense of smell, the flowers that attract them tend to have little fragrance, but expend a lot of energy toward nectar pro- duction and being highly visible. They are more attracted to flower color and shape then anything else. Plants with tubular shaped flowers and bright colors — red, orange, pink and white — work the best. Some perennial plants that make great nectar sources include bee balm, butterfly weed, cardinal flower, columbine, coral bells, delphinium, foxglove, hollyhocks, honeysuckle and trumpet vines, lupine, penstemon, sage, veronica and verbena. It is best to offer a wide variety of plants to make sure you have blooms and nectar throughout the whole growing season. Some of their favorite annual flowers include cosmos, dahlias, geraniums, salvias, impatiens, morning glories, nico- tiana, nasturtiums, petunias, cleome and zinnias. Again, diversity is the key so try to plant as many different ones as you can. Another option for providing food is feeders. We can't always guarantee that their favorite food sources will be in bloom, so by providing a feeder for them, a food source is always available. Offering hummingbirds the proper water source, useful shelter and favorite foods is like giving them an open invita- tion, and hopefully they'll accept. Happy gardening! (Michael Timm is a horticulturalist with Ebert's Greenhouse Village in Ixonia.) MICHAEL TIMM Gardening mindfully for hummingbirds Think food, water, shelter and resting spots If hummingbirds could live on just nectar alone, maybe they would. It actually provides a reliable source for the hardworking birds. They also need water, including running water. Hummingbirds love bright colors, such as this tropical hibiscus. They also like plants with tubular shapes. Pink varieities such as these verbena also draw hummingbirds, but they don't live on just flowers alone. Insects make up an important part of their diet, providing much-needed protein.

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