The Glittering Return: Preparing Your Garden for Hummingbirds in Connecticut
The garden stirs. The light lingers. And then—just like that—a flash of green, a flicker of wings. Hummingbirds are back in Connecticut.
Yes, hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly backward, but that’s hardly the most extraordinary thing about them. They weigh less than a nickel, migrate alone for up to 500 miles at a time, and zip through the garden like tiny flying gems with somewhere important to be. In the garden, they are not merely visitors but vital players in an ancient ecological process—pollination, adaptation, and the instinctive rhythm of migration.
And they’re coming. Soon.
Time to Set the Table
If you’re wondering how to attract hummingbirds to your Connecticut garden, now is the time to act. Clean feeders filled with a simple homemade nectar (1 part sugar to 4 parts water—no red dye, ever) should be hung in quiet corners of the yard, preferably near nectar-rich blooms. Think of it like setting the table for royalty. They may have no sense of smell, but their color vision is keen, especially for red and orange. Choose feeders with red accents and plant vivid blooms like:
- Bee balm (Monarda)
- Columbine (Aquilegia)
- Salvia
- Petunias
- Fuchsia
Even better, reach for Connecticut native plants that hummingbirds adore. Try planting trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) or cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)—their tubular blossoms are made for long, slender beaks. At Burnett’s Country Gardens, we offer a wide selection of high-quality hummingbird feeders and nectar to help you attract these delightful birds to your yard. Our team is ready to assist you in choosing the perfect feeder and providing tips on creating a hummingbird-friendly environment.
Beyond the Bloom
Here’s a quiet truth: your garden doesn’t have to be loud to be beautiful. Set out feeders where hummingbirds can feed in peace, away from heavy foot traffic and barking dogs. They need to hover, dart, and shimmer—uninterrupted. Their legs, comically tiny, are only good for perching. Walking or hopping? Impossible.
The more your garden mirrors their needs, the more likely you’ll witness that miraculous glint of movement: the green flash of a hovering male, or the quiet patience of a female perched near columbine. These birds may arrive alone, but they do not go unnoticed.
Build a Pollinator Paradise
At Burnett’s Country Gardens, we believe that good gardening is about balance—between beauty and purpose, design and ecology. Welcoming hummingbirds is one joyful part of creating a pollinator-friendly garden. Not only do these birds enchant the eye, they help fertilize the flowers we grow and love.
Stop by and ask our team for help picking the best native plants for hummingbirds in Connecticut, or let us help you choose the perfect feeder. Your garden can be a haven for more than one kind of visitor this spring.
Because sometimes, the tiniest arrivals bring the biggest wonder.
Additionally, we invite you to explore our Pollinator Park & Butterfly House, a dedicated space celebrating pollinators like hummingbirds. The park is scheduled to reopen in early summer 2025; please stay tuned for exact opening dates. Visiting the park offers a wonderful opportunity to learn more about creating habitats that support and attract these vital creatures.
Visit us in-store to explore our full guide to attracting hummingbirds and creating a pollinator paradise.