Hummingbird Haven in Gig Harbor, WA: Another fun project on the boards

Spring 2016 is already on a roll with many projects on the drawing boards.  There’s one particular project I want to share with you all;  it’s a hummingbird habitat garden for a private estate in Gig Harbor, WA.  The property owners and their children love hummingbirds but are not fond of hummingbird feeders and desire a more natural approach to attract hummingbirds.  Here's what we are showcasing in the design:

• A mixture of trees, shrubs, perennials, open meadow and intimate lawn areas.
• Flowering plants with bright red flowers and orange flowers rich with nectar.
• Plants that grow a minimum of 2 feet and taller (a comfortable level to feed at).
• Trees and trellises for nesting sites and perches.
• Small pond with trickling waterfall for hydration.
• Pussy willow and Cinnamon fern near the pond edge for nest building.
• Flowering plants that bloom consecutively from April through October (see list below).

 
TREES
Dogwood (Cornus spp.), blooms April - May
Flowering Crabapple (Malus spp.), blooms April - May
Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.), blooms April - May
Red Horsechestnut (Aesculus carnea), blooms April – May
 
SHRUBS
Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis), blooms March - May
Elderberry (Sambucus spp.), blooms March - July
Twinberry (Lonicera involucrata), blooms March - July
Flowering Currant (Ribes spp.), blooms April - June
Weigla (Weigla florida), blooms May - June
Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), blooms July - August
 
VINES
Clematis (Clematis spp.), blooms April - August
Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans), blooms June - August
Honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.), blooms June – October
 
PERENNIALS
Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis), blooms May – June
Columbine (Aquilegia spp.), blooms May – June
Delphinium (Delphinium spp.), blooms May – July
Gladiolus (Gladiolus cardinalus), blooms May - Sept
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), blooms June – July
Penstemon (Penstemon spp.), blooms June – July
Tall Phlox (Phlox spp.), blooms July – September
 
ANNUALS
Petunia (Petunia spp.), blooms April – October
Fuchsia (Fuchsia spp.), blooms June – October
Dahlia (Dahlia merckii), blooms July - Oct
 
Hummingbird Haven is planned to be installed in summer of 2016.  I can’t wait for the first hummingbird to appear and to see the joy on the children’s faces!
 
“Hummingbird Haven: Another fun project on the boards” author: Susan Combs Bauer, landscape architect and founder of BauerCombs & Associates, Inc. “Connecting People to Nature by Design”.  Questions?  Contact us at www.bauercombs.com or (360) 515-9026.