Summer Fun: Create a Hummingbird Haven in Your Arkansas Backyard

Summertime is here and most of us love spending more time outside with the warmer weather. One of summer's favorite pastimes in Arkansas is to watch hummingbirds in our backyards.

Who doesn't love watching those little guys divebomb each other as they protect their newly found food source? If you put out hummingbird food, then you know how possessive they can be about the hummingbird feeders in your yard.

Why Should I Plant Flowers That Hummingbirds Like in Arkansas?

That's why it is a good idea to add plants in your yard that these sweet little hummers love. Planting flowers that they love not only attracts them to your yard, but it gives them more sources of food for more hummingbirds. Plus, natural food sources are always the best. Later in the summer, when it gets too hot for most flowers, you will need to put out fresh hummingbird food for them to stick around.

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If you can find and grow perennial flowers, that would be the first choice, and we have a list of those that grow well in Arkansas below. But if you don't have the space, then hanging baskets are good too. Hummingbirds love all colors, but they seem to be attracted to red, so if you can find red flowers, that is a great start.

How to Make Hummingbird Food

Making food for hummingbirds is easy. Always remember the 4 to 1 ratio. It's 4 parts water to 1 part cane sugar. Boil some water and then add the sugar to it. Stir it until it dissolves, then let it cool. And it's ready for the feeder.

Please remember! Only use cane sugar...NOT honey, NOT sugar substitutes, NOT powdered sugar. These will kill a hummingbird. Please remember the 4 to 1 ratio stated above. They might go crazy for more sugar, but their little kidneys cannot take it and they will go into kidney failure. Also stay away from food coloring. Your feeder usually has the colors needed to attract the hummingbird. Food coloring is toxic to our hummers so don't use it!

Nature is always the best, so here are the top 11 flowers that hummingbirds love!