Hi,
I am wanting to create a hummingbird garden in my front yard, but am concerned about sun/shade requirements. I am not a gardener and want a low to no maintenance, drought tolerant, hummingbird happy yard.
The plants I'd like are: Epilobium canum (California fuchsia), Kniphofia 'Christmas Cheer' (poker plant), Nepeta x Faassenii (hybrid catmint), Salvia Spathacea (hummingbird sage), Callistemon 'Little John' (bottlebrush), and Hesperaloe parviflora (coral yucca).
I'm in hardiness zone 9b, Sunset zone 14 (Sacramento, CA). The front yard is to the north of the house. At this time of year, it is shady most of the time, but come summer, it is full sun and it is hot and dry. There is no western sun protection.
According to UC Davis, all these plants do well in our area and are full sun to partial shade and can handle hot afternoon sun. The hersperaloe parviflora is full sun. I plan on planting those at the outside edges of the yard where the sun is able to hit during this time of year.
All are "deep watering every two weeks" except the hummingbird sage which is "deep watering every one to two weeks" and the California fuchsia which is "deep watering every two weeks to once a month".
None require more than a trim, removing dead blooms, and/or cutting down at the end of the bloom season.
I have no idea what the dirt type is. It's not clay. We will be removing the top layer (with grasses) and rototilling before planting. All the ground will be covered in bark for mulch.
Does this sound doable? Is there anything that screams "No!" or makes you cry? I want to make my resident hummingbird happy, but do not have a green thumb or knowledge.
Thank you!
