Buttterflies and Hummers - Help, please....

Ok...late in the season but I'm preparing for next year. What plants/blooms have you all found work best to attract our Hummer friends - also butterflies? I have started an assortment - I'll add what I have when I'm home but I'd like to get some first hand knowledge from those in our area.
Secondly where have you found the best places to get those seeds/plants? Anyone that has collected seeds - and would like to trade please dmail me or keep me in mind for the swap this fall. I have MG's, Nicotiana 'Fragrant Cloud' & some 4 o'clocks seeds...sure there are others that aren't coming to mind right now. Thanks to all for your help!!
Chantell

The one flower that always draws the hummers here are petunias. I always put up a hanging basket or two of petunias near the hummer feeders and they just love them. The other is trumpet vine and I'd be glad to give you some if you want it but it would probably take over your yard.

Four o'clocks are good. They also draw butterflies, hummingbird moths and luna moths. The luna moths are magic.

Finally, hummers, butterflies and hummingbird moths go crazy for my butterfly bushes. This time of year, the butterflies just swarm the butterfly bushes all day long, the hummers in the evening usually.

Butterfly weed is another one and milkweed. I always let a patch of that grow up for the monarchs. Be glad to save you some milkweed seeds if you'd like to grow some.

Salvias: Incoming hummers go directly for the red, hot pink & purple colored blooms. I'll try collecting seeds from Salvia, "Hot Pink Trumpets", if you're interested.

Here are some links to give you more ideas....much easier than typing them all.

Plants for hummers:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/81831/top_ten_plants_for_hummingbirds.html

Shade loving plants for hummers: http://birding.about.com/library/blhummershade2.htm

http://birding.about.com/library/weekly/aa053001a.htm

http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/backyard_birds/gardening/plants_hummers.aspx

Columbines for hummers! Like putting out the welcome mat it the spring for the hummers. I have seeds if you want some D-mail me.

And like Diane said, Butterfly Bush for the butterflies, in a sunny location. Also cone flowers/Echinaca.

I KNEW I could count on ya'll!!! :) The following are the plants I have already:
Scarlet Milkweed, Cypress Vine, Cardinal Climber, Coral Bean, Hummingbird Bush,

My computer keeps freezing...so the list continues:
Mexican Flame Vine, lots of sedums, various Passifloras, CROCOSMIA BULBS coming from an ebay win.
I'm trying to root cutttings of a couple of Butterfly Bushes someone graciously sent me...have cuttings in water. Does that sound right or would ya'll suggest another method.
Yes....yes...yes...pretty please to all that offered seeds etc. Thank you so much!!

I know when I've started with very small butterfly bushes they took forever to get any size at all or blooms. But when I've started with ones a bit bigger, say quart or gallon pot size, they've grown fast and had blooms by the next year if not the first. Check Lowes, they usually have some decent sized butterfly bushes for pretty cheap.

Hmmm...wondering if they'd have any this time of year...guess I'll put that on my "look for" list for spring????

Chantell, Look for those Butterfly Bushes now in the neglected plant piles at the big box stores. I've been trying to root a few myself and I seem to be having better luck with the one I dipped in root tone and potted than the ones in rooting jars. I always have butterflies at my lantana, heliotrope and good old marigolds. The hummers are really talking to my Cannas, too.

good ol' tall zinnias work for my butterflies.
When I was at Lowe's last week they seemed to have tons of new stock, I guess some rich people can afford to replace plants this time of year and even get just a couple months out of them
Plus some good clearance but that's so hit or miss

Oh Sally, Talk about Zinnias and rich people. One of the Mansions near us has the most beautiful bed of Zinnias. I've never seen a bed that big it's very long and very wide nothing but Zinnias. Just the most beautiful thing. I gotta get me one of those. LOL

Thanks again everyone...think I'll hit the stores by my work here and then the ones by my house!!

Holly that reminds me...I have Cannas (probably red) in a bucket of water...pulled them from my front flower bed (needed to stick a trellis there) and didn't have time to plant them prior to going on vacation. Goofy things must like the water...all kinds of new leaves on them..LOL

Sally - did you see the thread with someones Zowie (I think that was it) zinnias? All the critter liked them...beautiful bloom as well!! http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/759322/

This message was edited Aug 24, 2007 3:16 PM

I usually put a potted canna in my pond. What a Hoot that thread is. Guess we'll all be loojing for Zowies. LOL

This message was edited Aug 24, 2007 4:45 PM

I've never heard of Zowies before.. pretty.
Red Cannas get some visits by hummers for me.. It -hummer- also sampled the catnip that day.

Holly, still having trouble with the K? KKKkkkKKkkKKkk a refill

Sally, You caught me. It still doesn't work. I've been putting in j's and then running it thru spell check. Or finding one in someones post and copying it. Sometimes I miss one. LOL