Crocosmia in bloom in Seattle
At Seattle Fling 2011, this year’s incarnation of the garden bloggers’ get together, I achieved a wildlife photographic milestone and I owe it all to this plant, Crocosmia ’Lucifer’. I do not current grow this plant, but I will definitely be adding some to my garden, as it is hardy to Zone 5. And here is what has me so excited:
rufous hummingbird in the Epping garden Seattle
I finally got a photo of hummingbird. And not just a photo of a hummingbird, but a photo of a hummingbird in flight visiting a garden plant. It was a magical moment when I watched a pair of hummers zip back and forth from a place of safety to the abundant blooms. The harsh mid-morning light played perfectly on the blooms and the birds. So what if this wasn’t my garden. I believe it’s a rufous hummingbird, which is not found in my area.
While in Seattle, I also noticed that hummers really like Kniphofia too. I will be searching for the hardiest varieties and planting them in my garden too. It’s fun to see a hummingbird at a feeder, but nothing beats seeing one at a beautiful bloom.
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I grow Crocosmia in zone 4. Mine does not look like that. The bulbs so not multiply they decline. I think it’s too dry for them here as well as too cold. Still I love it and so do the hummingbirds. I have a lot of cardinal flower too. My humming birds seem to prefer that. Your photographs are striking!
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I’m willing to buy Crocosmia bulbs annually if they draw the hummers for me.
Hummingbirds also like saliva – I believe the one growing by my front steps is the Black and Blue variety (sorry, but the tag has been lost); I regularly see humming birds feeding on the tublar blooms there even though they are not red and ignoring the nearby sugar water feeder. I live in East Tennessee, and I love your posts.
Thank you, Ginger! You’re right, it’s the shape of the flower, rather than the color that draws the hummingbirds. Alas, my Salvia is in decline and hasn’t bloomed at all this year.
Congratulations Barbara!
Pretty flower, alas it is not native, so it won’t be joining my garden. I’ll be content with the coral honeysuckle which is the main attractant in my yard and where I caught my first pic of a hummingbird (ruby throat)….which surely is a great experience! I’ve never seen a rufous, except on a bookmark I got from cornell orinthology. I’d like one of them to visit me!
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Rufous hummingbirds are to be found west of the Rockies, so I know I’ll never see one in my garden.
Wonderful! I tried to get a photo, them but they look like small brown blurs on mine. Hummers love the containerized pentas, too. They just go for red more then any color, although, I have seen them on my lavenderish/pinkish Phlox paniculatas. gail
The shot worked for me because the sun was so bright, I was able to use a very fast shutter speed. Keep on trying, and crank your camera’s ISO up to 250 to freeze those wings.
Barbara, a good photo of a hummingbird visiting flowers has always been my Holy Grail too, so I feel your excitement!! Crocosmia sure looks like a great hummer flower – around here they love my Cardinal Flower, the Trumpet Honeysuckle and Bee Balm the best but will try out just about anything flowering!
I don’t know why I’ve never seen them at my Lobelias. Here’s hoping that when my trumpet honeysuckle and bee balm mature, I’ll see the hummers visiting them.
Barbara, congratulations! I’m so glad you finally nabbed your hummer
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