You don’t need a huge yard or an elaborate landscape to offer beautiful, nectar-rich flowers for hummingbirds to enjoy. A simple container garden can both attract and feed hummingbirds if it is designed thoughtfully to meet their needs.

Choosing a Container

Because hummingbirds are the smallest birds in the world, a container does not have to be big to tempt them. While a larger container can certainly hold more plants, even a small container can catch a hummingbird’s eye and may be ideal for smaller spaces or unique uses. Small containers, for example, could be planted with different blooms and grouped together on a patio table for more textural interest, or could be placed on a deck railing or along stairs as a fast and beautiful accent.

Larger containers are great choices as porch pots or on a deck or patio. A large pot could even be a fast addition to an existing flower bed, allowing for easier care of hummingbird flowers and adding a tiered effect to the bed.

Consider different containers as well – hanging pots are great choices to decorate eaves, fences, or branches (take care that they’re not too heavy for where they are hung), while window boxes can offer intimate views of visiting hummers. For an extra bonus, choose a red container or one with red accents to be even more successful at catching hummingbirds’ attention.

No matter what the size, shape, or color of a container you choose, it is essential that it have proper drainage. Waterlogged soil can quickly kill plants, which won’t do any good at attracting or feeding hummingbirds. In some pots – such as plastic or wood options – you may be able to add holes if there aren’t some already, otherwise, be sure to select pots with adequate drainage holes. Adding rocks or plastic bottles in the bottom of a pot can also improve drainage and keep plant roots above any puddles.

Best Plants for a Hummingbird Container Garden

There are many options to fill a pot with flowers hummers will love. While larger plants and trees don’t typically fare as well in more restrictive containers, a large variety of flowers can thrive in different pots. The best flowers will be abundant nectar producers with prodigious blooms in bright shades of red, pink, purple, orange, and yellow to attract hummingbirds. In larger pots, consider taller plants in the center to create a tiered effect and offer more choice for hungry birds, while in hanging pots, trailing or draping plants are a must to offer sweet sips at different levels.

Top container-friendly flowers for hummingbirds include:

• Cardinal Flower
• Delphinium
• Fuchsia
• Geranium
• Impatiens
• Lantana
• Nasturtium
• Passionflower
• Pentas
• Petunia
• Salvia
• Zinnia

Depending on the size of the cultivar you choose, be sure the pot is large enough, and provide staking or support for taller blooms to ensure they reach their full potential.

Caring for Your Hummingbird Containers

Once your pot is planted with top hummingbird flowers, proper care will keep it looking fabulous all season long. First, position the pot in an area where it will get 6-8 hours of sun per day so the blooms grow as big and bright as they can. In hotter climates, afternoon shade will help keep the plants from scorching.

Water the pot regularly, noting that containers typically need more frequent watering than plants in a landscape. Use diluted fertilizer as needed to nourish the plants as well. As blooms fade, deadheading can help plants keep their shape and will encourage reblooming for longer beauty.

To add an extra pop to a hummingbird container garden, consider adding a small nectar feeder on a stake for extra sips, and you’ll be amazed at how many hummers stop by for a snack!