Kristin, I noticed that you don't have any feedback and I was wondering if you got the "Billy Green" and if the hummers like it.

thanks,

Vickie

Vickie--Thanks for the response and question. It's good to know that someone out there read my post.

I decided to order 3 Billy Green plants, mail order--expensive, but I wasn't finding any of the fuchsias I wanted locally. All I see in the local garden centers are the fancy, frilly hybrids, in hanging baskets, and I don't think they're supposed to be as good as the simpler flowered, more upright ones.

The plants have not yet arrived, but then neither have the hummers! When the flowers are delivered, there will be a 15" pot of soil waiting for them--am I anxious or what?

I visited a specialty perennials place this weekend and was encouraged to hear that even with grounds full of flowers, they had not yet seen any hummers. Although the migration map shows that they're here in western PA, I still think the major masses are just not here yet--just the scouts, so to speak.

I spent the weekend planting 6 lobelias, and 3 Agastache that I bought at the perennial place. In case anyone's interested, the exact varieties are:
2 Lobelia cardinalis (the species)
2 Lobelia cardinalis "Elmfire" (A burgundy leafed variety)
2 Lobelia speciosa "Fan Blue" (A shorter, blue-flowered one)

I dug out a 3ft deep hole and put a rubber pond liner in the bottom 2 1/2 feet to reduce drainage and make the soil moister. Our soil drains way too easily, and yet there aren't enough sunny areas for the sun/drought lovers.

2 Agastache "Big Bazooka"
1 Agastache "Pink Panther"

I put these in one of the few sunny patches of my garden, above a stone wall. I have no idea if some Agastache are better than others, but the tags said they were good hummer flowers. I could also have gotten "Tutti Frutti," or "Black Adder," plus others I can't remember, but thought these plants looked healthiest.

If I am successful in getting the fuchsias to bloom, and if those little hummers ever return, I'll let you know if they enjoy them. I probably won't know until June or July because I doubt the fuchsias will bloom before then. In the meantime, if I see any Gartenmeister Bonstedts at the perennial place, I may buy some of those, too, and see if the hummers show a preference.

Thanks, so much for posting a response to my lonely little entry!