I could just sip from this hummingbird feeder, but I'd rather have garden fresh meals. My gardener works very hard to grow flowers just for me, so let's see what's blooming in my garden.
I have to start my day early in the morning. I'm very methodical as I check out all the blooms before the competition shows up. More hummingbirds have been trying to move into my garden lately, so I have to sit up in the top of the trees where I can stand guard over my food source.
My gardener grows salvia in so many different colors. She has red, white, purple, dark blue, light blue and these magenta blooms. Because the deer don't eat the flowers that she grows for me, there's plenty of nectar available here.
Although I love all of the salvias, the one called 'Black & Blue' is my favorite! My gardener knows this and is growing fifteen of these cobalt blue salvias just for me. Don't those flowers look delicious?
There are also several pretty colors of bee balm (monarda) growing in this garden. Those are tasty, but they don't bloom all summer long. It's a good thing that my gardener grows other flowers for me. Her husband keeps the hummingbird feeders filled when there aren't many flowers in bloom. My gardener recently deadheaded the monarda. Maybe they'll bloom again. I noticed new buds forming on the plants today.
Of course, my gardener grows a lot of hummingbird mint for me, too. I've noticed people call it agastache. It smells so good. I can't decide which flavor I like the best, but the 'Purple Pygmy', 'Salmon & Pink' and the 'Heather Queen' have perfect flowers for sipping nectar. The agastache blooms all summer long and lasts until I migrate south in the autumn.
If more people would grow hummingbird food, maybe I could have this garden all to myself!
Photos and words by Freda Cameron; Location: home garden; July 2009
