BEST OFSUMMER

YEAR-ROUND®

blooms forhummingbirds

TOP 10

These long-blooming flowers will keep hummingbirds fed for months!

ColumbineAQUILEGIA, ZONES 3 TO 9

This native wildlife magnet has striking blossoms that hummingbirds can’t resist. It grows up to 3 feet high and blooms in many different colors. Need another reason to consider columbine? It’s also low maintenance. Why we love it: Most blooms are a mix of shades, like white and red or white and purple, making a bold statement in the garden.

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PhloxPHLOX, ZONES 3 TO 9

Butterflies crave it, hummingbirds can’t resist it, it smells delicious, the flowers are gorgeous—the list goes on and on. For upright phlox cultivars (garden phlox), choose disease-resistant Tiara or David. For a more sprawling ground cover and early bloomer, try creeping phlox. Why we love it: A little bit of phlox goes a long way. It multiplies quickly, so you can divide and conquer other parts of your yard with this resilient bloomer.

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Bee balmMONARDA, ZONES 3 TO 9

This flower is a staple in any hummingbird garden, and it has a fun shape to boot! Find it in its traditional red or in newer shades of purple, pink and white. It’s also a native, another reason to give it a try. Why we love it: It reseeds readily and smells great when you’re weeding out excess plants in spring. Plus, it’s easy to grow, especially if you choose mildew-resistant options like Marshall’s Delight or Jacob Cline.

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Cigar flowerCUPHEA IGNEA, ZONES 10 TO 11

This plant is one of the gardening world’s best-kept secrets, with long tubular blooms that shine from spring through autumn. Unless you’re in Zone 10 or 11, think of it as an annual. Once you see the results you get, it’ll become a staple in your garden every year. Why we love it: It’s a natural for hanging baskets. You can mingle it in with other plants, but it’s a star on its own, too.

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Salvia SALVIA, ZONES 4 TO 10

You’ll see a plethora of red salvia flats at the garden center in spring. These are annuals, and they’re popular with hummers. But be sure to pick up a few salvias in the perennial department, too. The tubular flowers come in red, orange, white, pink, blue and purple. Grow in full sun or light shade and they’ll bloom for months. Why we love it: The Black and Blue Gargantica cultivar (pictured here) has deep, gorgeous blue blooms. They will last for months.

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Pineapple sage SALVIA ELEGANS, ANNUAL)

Another annual in the salvia family, this sage is fairly new to the market. Proven Winners introduced this cultivar, Golden Delicious, which boasts lovely yellow foliage and bright-red blooms. It does very well in the heat, and it’s a champ in containers. Why we love it: The leaves really are pineapple scented, so you’ll like them as much as the hummers do.

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VerbenaVERBENA X HYBRIDA, ANNUAL

You’ll find dozens of new verbenas on the market, including the popular Superbena line by Proven Winners. The red verbena pictured here is the Aztec Dark Red cultivar from Ball Horticultural Co. Grow it in a container or in an annual bed for endless summer blooms. Why we love it: The color options are infinite, so it’s easy to find one that will work for you.

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Cardinal flowerLOBELIA CARDINALIS, ZONES 3 TO 9

You can choose a sunny or partly shady spot with moist soil for this bold red flower. It grows up to 4 feet tall and has plenty of blooms to go around for all your hummingbird visitors. Plant it this year. You won’t regret it. Why we love it: It’s an age-old favorite that never seems to fail to attract hummers. Plus, we love that “cardinal” is in the name.

FuchsiaFUCHSIA, ANNUAL

One of the most recognizable annuals around, fuchsia has dainty flowers that resemble ballerinas. Hummingbirds flock to the red, white, pink and purple blooms. You can find both dwarf and upright varieties, but most grow 6 to 24 inches. With more options on the market than ever before, it’s time to plant this charmer. Why we love it: It’s made for the shade! If you want to hang a basket under an eave, fuchsia will thrive in it.

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LungwortPULMONARIA, ZONES 2 TO 8

Don’t let the funky name keep you from adding it to your backyard. You can always count on lungwort, which emerges in early spring in shades of blue, pink, white or purple. Those pretty spring blooms are a good source of early nectar, and the foliage lasts all season.Why we love it: It’s often grown for its foliage, so you get a plant with multiple attractions!

bird talesOur readers share some of their best birding stories.

DID YOU KNOW?

Only male painted buntings sport this colorful plumage.

Females are plain green.

I headed toDonnelley Wildlife Management Area in hopes of seeing and photographing egrets and herons feeding. A few were present, but they were too far away, so I decided to set up in front of a field of sunflowers. Soon, a gorgeous painted bunting showed up and looked right at me over the top of the sunflower. This shot was my favorite.Kathy Hare

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

A robin pair built a nest on top of a wreath on my front door. It took a little patience, but I was finally able to capture a photo of the whole family—two adults and three babies.Celia Cyr HAMPTON, CONNECTICUT

I spotted this great egret in need of a snack. It grabbed a crab off the ground and ate it, shell and all. Imagine my surprise when I got home and saw that I had captured this photo of the crab in the mouth of the egret in midair!

Lasanthica Benedict ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA

After an uneventful afternoon attempting to photograph the northern flickers in a farm field, I decided to head home. Just as I was about to duck under the barbed wire fence, this palm warbler landed not 10 feet from me. I had enough time to snap this closeup before it flew off. This moment made my whole day. Ralph Bischoff HOMOSASSA, FLORIDA

There is a lot of vacant land across the street from my house that offers plenty of space for burrowing owls nesting there in underground burrows. The city places PVC pipes and rope around the nests, so the mowers know where the nests are. I was pleasantly surprised to see this burrowing owl in late July because they are typically most active here in June. Carrol Betts

CHIEFLAND, FLORIDA

This little one is letting his mother know he’s ready for something to eat. I hung the rope as a photo prop, and I’ve enjoyed watching this eastern bluebird and her young perch on it before landing on the feeders.Carol Chastain JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA

Last year, I was washing the dishes when I looked out my kitchen window and saw this unusual robin. He looked as if someone had splashed bleach all over him! Of course, I had to grab my camera right away. Later, I did some digging on the Internet to learn more about the white patches. I concluded that he might have leucism, which is a reduction in melanin and other pigments, similar to albinism. What a rare friend to have in my backyard!Patti Lane Gmeiner NIAGARA, WISCONSIN

A few years ago, a friend built the perfect woodpecker box for me, but the next summer, squirrels took over. I loved watching the cute baby squirrels get into mischief. But last year, new neighbors moved into the box—eastern screech-owls. I was absolutely ecstatic. When their baby was first learning to fly, it popped up in the window and nearly scared my pet cockatiel to death!Kathryn Willet BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA

DID YOU KNOW?

Bald eagles are powerful fliers with

a wingspan of about 6 feet.

I first spotted this bald eagle nest from a kayak. The next day, I went back on foot to get a picture. Just as I got there, the mother flew out of the nest. I was able to capture this cool shot of her as she took off. There were two young, and I was able to watch them all season.Paul Minchinton ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA

I’ve always admired scarlet tanagers as one of the prettiest birds in my area, but I was never lucky enough to see one in my yard. One day, I decided to look up how to attract them. I followed the suggestions—sugar water, suet, cracked corn and sunflower seeds. I set up a bird blind and left the site alone for five days. When I returned, there were birds everywhere, including my scarlet tanager! I was thrilled to finally see this beautiful bird up close.B.J. Lanich WAUSAUKEE, WISCONSIN

name that butterfly!

MYSTERY PHOTOJA

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Find the answer on the next page!

THE MYSTERY PHOTO WAS AN EASTERN SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY!

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‘‘ It was one of those perfect summer days—the sun was shining, a breeze was blowing, the birds were singing, and the lawn mower was broken. —James Dent

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