Creating a Hummingbird Planter

If you’ve ever wanted to bring the absolute magic of hummingbirds right to your doorstep, there is no better way to roll out a natural welcome mat than planting a beautiful, custom window box or patio container. Personally, I am on a mission to design the ultimate backyard setup for my AzarÉl Greetings backyard bird and critter photography—which means a tacky, plastic red feeder right in the middle of my camera frame is a hard “Yuck!” To bypass the plastic, I’m planting a gorgeous 8” x 18” window box packed with authentic hummingbird favorites instead. Come along with me as I visit Cocalico Creek Greenhouse to get some expert guidance from Karen. Together, we’ll explore foolproof annual combinations, dive into excellent native selections for your garden beds, and finish up with a look at some stunning, ultra-slow-motion Rainbow Wings footage you won’t want to miss!

A Mission to Cocalico Creek Greenhouse

It’s high-time to get my hummingbird plants outside! I’ll admit to being a bit nervous about designing a container garden from scratch, but I knew exactly who to consult. I visited my friend Karen at Cocalico Greenhouse, located just outside of Ephrata, PA. She has flower varieties of annuals that hummingbirds simply adore—and, more importantly, she’ll plant any container you bring!

Browsing the greenhouse benches, I settled on a stunning two-plant combination. The star is a tall ‘Black and Blue’ Salvia, accompanied by bright red Calibrachoa spilling over the side. Snipping back the salvia will keep it bushy and well under three feet tall, ensuring it doesn’t completely take over the frame. Given a bit of time and sunshine, the plants will fill out and look spectacular!

Secrets to Container Success

Keeping planters thriving as a photographic backdrop takes strategy. They dry out quickly in the summer heat and demand daily watering. To give my window box a fighting chance, Karen shared an insider secret: she makes a custom planting mix using “Soil Moist.” These tiny “beads” soak up and hold water significantly longer than standard, bagged potting soil, keeping roots happy between waterings.

Building Your Own Hummingbird Planter

If you are looking to build your own hummingbird buffet, keep in mind that these birds absolutely love brightly colored, tubular flowers that supply an abundance of rich nectar. And despite popular belief, those blossoms don’t necessarily have to be red!

For maximum visual impact and plant health, use the tried-and-true Thriller – Filler – Spiller design method:

• The Thriller: An upright, eye-catching centerpiece that gives the arrangement its height.
  
• The Filler: A mounding plant that fills out the middle, giving the container great body and texture.
  
• The Spiller: A cascading plant that gracefully tumbles and splashes down over the front edge.

Need a Nudge on Some Examples?

If you’re standing in the greenhouse aisles staring at a sea of green and feeling a bit overwhelmed, don’t panic! Here are a few striking, foolproof “Thriller, Filler, Spiller” designs guaranteed to act as a visual dinner bell for your local hummingbirds.

1. The “Fiery Sunrise” Combo (For Full Sun)

This high-contrast option uses intense reds, deep purples, and hot oranges. It is a visual beacon for hummingbirds and thrives in hot, sunny spots.

• Thriller: Salvia ‘Black and Bloom’ or ‘Amistad’ (Salvia guaranitica).
  
• Filler: Zinnia ‘Profusion Red’ or ‘Zahara Scarlet’.
  
• Spiller: Renee’s Garden Aloha Mix Hummingbird Nasturtiums.

2. The “Jewel Box” Shade Combo (For Partial to Full Shade)

If your container sits under a covered porch, an awning, or beneath dappled tree shade, this combination thrives without scorching and leverages the delicate, dangling structures hummingbirds love.

• Thriller: Upright Fuchsia ‘Gartenmeister Bonstedt’ – This variety grows into an upright, bronze-leafed structural bush.
  
• Filler: Dragon Wing Pink Begonia.
  
• Spiller: Trailing Fuchsia (such as ‘Autumnale’ or ‘Dark Eyes’).

Hummingbird Lovers for the Garden Bed (No Containers Allowed!)

While you’re out and about at the greenhouse, be sure to keep an eye out for some native plants that hummingbirds and local pollinators absolutely adore. Plant them outside a window you use often! These plants are not recommended for standard planters. A typical container is only about 6–8” deep, which is far too restrictive for their deep, ambitious root systems. Nobody enjoys scrunching their toes into shoes that are two sizes too tight, and our native plants feel the exact same way!

To keep your backyard buffet open all season long, here are four fantastic native goodies that spread their joy across the calendar:

1. Eastern Red Columbine: A gorgeous perennial blooming from April to June. This is the ultimate “welcome back” flower for the very first spring arrivals!

2. Wild Bergamot / Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa or Monarda didyma): This perennial shines from July to September.

3. Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens): Blooming all the way from May to October, this perennial vine is a powerhouse. Just make sure you’re getting this lovely native variety and not the highly invasive Asian types.

4. Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis): A showstopping, short-lived perennial that blooms from July to September and handily keeps itself going by producing plenty of new offshoots.

Of course, as we all know, every backyard garden is unique when it comes to sun exposure and soil quality. If you want a little extra help finding the absolute perfect native hummingbird plant matches for your specific yard, a fantastic resource is Garden for Wildlife. You can easily shop native plants right on their website filtered by your zip code, soil type, and light conditions to take all the guesswork out of it! Below is a sample screenshot from Garden for Wildlife.

The Grand Finale: Witnessing “Rainbow Wings”

If you need the ultimate motivator to get out there and plant these hummingbird favorites, I have just the thing for you. I want to leave you with a spectacular grand finale—a short video called Rainbow Wings.

This project captures breathtaking phenomenon that occurs only when a hovering hummingbird and the sun align at the absolute perfect angle. When that happens, their feathers create a flashing display of prismatic, iridescent color that feels like a true celebration of life on Earth.

By utilizing ultra-slow-motion footage, this short video captures a perspective that may very well be unique in the history of wildlife photography.

Setting the Stage for Hummingbirds

Ultimately, creating a backyard wildlife habitat for hummingbirds is all about working hand-in-hand with nature. By swapping out the artificial plastic for a lush, living buffet, you aren’t just inviting these spectacular birds in for a quick snack—you’re creating a vibrant, dynamic stage where wildlife can truly feel at home. Grab a few of these hummingbird favorites, mix up your own “Thriller, Filler, and Spiller” combinations. With a little patience, a splash of color, and the perfect natural backdrop, you’ll be perfectly positioned for many visits from these amazing birds!