FLYING FLOWERS FOR FREE!

Most gardens are as motionless as a painting until we bring them to life with vibrant flying flowers, more aptly named the butterflies and hummingbirds.   Few sights are more charming than that of a butterfly or hummingbird fluttering through your garden in search of sweet nectar.  Flying flowers not only add movement within our gardens, but also grace us with a full spectrum of colorfully and intricately woven patterns.  Both hummingbirds and butterflies play an important role as pollinators, and many plants depend on them for seed production.   Overdevelopment in our area has displaced many of our flying friends, who once relied on surrounding meadows and prairies for both breeding grounds and nectar.  Additionally, we have adversely impacted butterfly and hummingbird populations in our area with the use of dangerous chemical pesticides.  We have the ability to rejuvenate and restore flying flowers in our area by planting annuals, perennials, vines, trees and shrubs that our winged friends will enjoy.  No matter if you have a large garden or a small hanging basket, hummingbirds and butterflies will animate your yard and brighten your day, free of charge,  by organically growing plants that temp their palates and enhance their habitat.

With over 135 species of butterflies recorded in Ohio, we can attract an incredible array of these multi-colored flying flowers to our gardens.  There are two types of plants that butterflies need: food plants for the hungry caterpillar stage, and nectar plants for adults.  Only 3 percent of butterfly eggs develop into beautiful butterflies, so plant selection and placement are imperative.  Butterflies avoid shady and windy areas, so take advantage of planting locations with at least 5 hours of direct sunlight, sheltered from wind.  We can cater to butterflies additional need for salt and minerals by using plastic liner to hold shallow depressions of water mixed with garden soil to form mud puddles.  Also, wait until late April to cut back dead perennial stems in your garden to prevent destroying hibernating adult butterflies, their pupae, or their eggs.  Some of the most low maintenance plants used to attract our whimsical winged wonders are: Anise Hyssop, Aster, Bee Balm, Black Eyed Susan, Butterfly Weed, Buttonbush, Chaste Shrub, Eupatorium, French Marigolds, Gayfeather, Globe Thistle, Impatiens, Lilac, Milkweed, Mimosa Tree, Passion Flower Vine, Phlox, Plumbago, Purple Coneflower, Sedum, Summersweet Shrub, Sunflower, Tickseed, Yarrow and Zinnia.  

Weighing in at a whopping 3-10 grams, hummingbirds are the smallest birds in the world.  Their hearts beat up to 1260 times per minute, and can fly up to 60 miles per hour when diving for nectar.  These remarkable flying flowers will visit an average of 1000 blossoms and eat up to eight times their body weight in nectar per day.   Deep-tubed blooms are most suitable for hummingbirds long tongue, and in addition to nectar, the hummingbirds are attracted to the tiny insects within flowers, adding a rich source of protein to their diet.  To the benefit of gardeners, hummingbirds help to control garden pest such as aphids, gnats, mosquitoes, spiders and caterpillars.  One can attract hummingbirds to their yard by mixing 1 cup of granulated sugar with 4 cups of boiling water.  Avoid red food dye in the solution, because it can injure their tiny kidneys.  Once your mixture has cooled, pour the solution into a clean hummingbird feeder and place in an area that is quiet and absent from traffic,  preferably in an area that can be viewed from a window or patio view.  Another way to allure these fantastic flying flowers is to cater to their planting needs.  Native wildflowers generally produce more nectar than their cultivated cousins, and red tinted blooms attract more hummingbirds than other colors.  Extend your seasonal interest and nectar production by using plants such as: Bee Balm, Bleeding Hearts, Cardinal Flower, Cleome, Columbine, Coralbells, Creeping Phlox, Fowering Quince, Foxglove, Fuchsia, Impatiens, Lily, Morning Glory Vine, Obedient Plant, Penstemon, Red Hot Poker, Sage, Scarlet Runner Beans, Snapdragons and Trumpet Honeysuckle Vine. 

Many of the plants that attract hummingbirds also attract butterflies, so consider providing a wide diversity of plants to both enhance your seasonal bloom interest and to draw a greater assortment of flying flowers for your viewing pleasure.  By gardening organically and following some of the above tips and tricks, you will foster months of fabulous flying flowers that are fun and fascinating for your friends and family, for free.  Please visit Marvin’s Organic Gardens for plants and products to helps encourage more butterflies and hummingbirds in your yard.  Go Organic.  It’s Only Natural!