Congrats Harryshoe! The first hummer appearance is always exciting! Why can't they share??? HA! Usually it's a male being the lone bully. I have one right now! He perches on a shepherd's hook where one feeder hangs and proceeds to chase off the others who fly up to the breezeway to the other feeders. I have 2 feeders in front of my kitchen window, so I figure he can't be in 2 places at one time, but I suspect he's wearing himself out flying back and forth to guard them all!!!!

BTW, what is that gorgeous blue flower?

Donna

Donna

It appears to be salvia guaranitica black and blue. I have been growing them for years now and the hummers love them.

Thanks hummersteve...I've never seen it but it will definitely be on my list for next spring.

Donna--- Thought you might appreciate a couple of shots from last season.

This one is salvia blue ensign, green calyxes as opposed to black and blues black calyxes
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Here is the same plant beside agastache tutti frutti these giants 4 and 1/2ft battling it out for top honors among the hummers
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WOW...they are beautiful! I'm planning a backyard relandscaping in the fall and hope to have a hummer friendly, small flower garden. I'm assuming these are sun loving plants.

Thanks Donna. I did not even put up my feeder this year. In the past the plants got nearly all of the action. Black and Blue salvia is my most attractive plant throughout the season although when the Jacob Cline monarda is at its peak, its number one.

My small flower garden only gets full sun till about 3pm.

Harryshoe.........fantastic photo! The black and blue salvia is a very popular plant at the nursery where i work.We tell customers that it is an annual so they wont be disappointed if it doesnt winter over here in kansas....glad mine did though!

Thanks Bouquet. I have had no luck with any salvia overwintering. I think our winters are too wet with a constant freeze-thaw cycle that is deadly to many perennials.

The local nurseries have been adding new salvia types over the last few years. I was able to find 3 different types including greggii (sp?) this spring.

Harry
Don't give up on your B&B overwintering. One of mine survived this past winter. It was planted in front of the porch with a southern exposer.

Penny

Congrats Harry, I like the pictue. They nuzzle in so deep into the blooms going for the goodies. The caption should be "Yummm!"