Oh Bella, I hope someone can come along with a positive answer for you. I hate for anyone to go through life with seeing a hummingbird.

As for the flowers to plant just read the psotings here. There are so many. You need to find out what will grow in your zone. You might start with a Black & Blue Salvia.

Beebalm and cardinal flower are two to start with. Here's an article from Illinois about hummingbirds hope it helps. Sarah

Here is a link that might be useful: hummingbirds in Illinois

Yes bellarosa there are hummers in Ill. Get yourself a hummingbird feeder and pay attention to these posts and you will be on your way.

Sorry I posted the wrong article here's the right one. Sarah

Here is a link that might be useful: Hummingbirds in Illinois

Oh and whatever you do when you buy your hummingbird feeder DO NOT BUY THAT RED STUFF TO GO IN IT. We all use 4 parts water to 1 part sugar. Mix and boil or boil water and then add sugar. What ever works for you.

How sad for you Bella :( I thought hummers were everywhere. I live in the desert, and even in 120 degree heat they faithfully come to the feeders. The poor little guys are panting by the afternoon. I take my feeders in early afternoon to cool down then put them backout around 4pm. Needless to say I change the feeders everyday. I can't imagine life without hummers.
Teri

Bellarosa -

You better believe there are hummingbirds here! Technically only Ruby-throated Hummingbirds breed/migrate through Illinois, but once in a while a migrant might blow in from the west (when I lived in NYC we got all sorts of crazy things in Central Park! Now THAT'S a long way from California!).

I put up my first feeder in the spring here in Evanston and had one female for a couple days ... then.. nothing. I took down the feeder until late August - and have had a female visit several times a day until yesterday - when I saw a young male as well. Hard to tell if they're the same birds or just a bunch passing though, as migration has indeed started.

I planted Scarlet Runner Bean along our (gorgeous, lovely, glamourous) chain-link fence. I've seen the hummingbirds visit those blooms, and also my Honeycomb Butterfly Bush (which may not be hardy in your area)... I have plans for many more perennial/annual plantings to convince the buggers that my yard is a lush buffet. Now that they know that there's food here, maybe they'll stay NEXT year!

Here's a great map showing the northward migration of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. They really are everywhere!

Good luck,

Sandy

Here is a link that might be useful: Ruby-throated Hummingbird Migration Map