High Country Gardens updates hummingbird garden guide for fall planting

High Country Gardens has refreshed its hummingbird gardening guide with fall-planting advice, plant lists and habitat tips aimed at helping gardeners prepare for spring and summer blooms. The update focuses on waterwise landscapes that support hummingbirds with nectar, water, shelter and insects.

Why it matters: - Fall planting can give perennials, shrubs and trees time to establish roots before the next growing season. - A well-planned hummingbird garden can support birds with nectar, water, shelter and insects while using less water in the landscape. - The guide is aimed at gardeners who want to create habitat now for future hummingbird visits.

What happened: - High Country Gardens updated its guide, Make Your Yard a Hummingbird Haven: Plants, Water & Shelter for Hummingbird Habitat. - The refreshed guide offers advice on nectar-rich plants, bloom succession and waterwise landscape design. - The update draws on a presentation by Tabar Gifford at the Sedona Hummingbird Festival in July 2026. - Gifford is a Master Gardener, Certified Pollinator Steward and Partnership Cultivator with High Country Gardens.

The details: - The guide says hummingbird habitat starts with more than flowers. - Nectar-rich plants, moving water, sheltered perches and a healthy supply of small insects all matter. - Fall is often a strong planting window because cooler air and warm soil can support root growth. - High Country Gardens generally recommends planting cold-hardy perennials in cold-winter regions six to eight weeks before the average first hard frost. - Timing depends on local conditions, plant hardiness and how long soil remains workable. - Spring planting may be better in places where the ground freezes early. - The goal is to build habitat for later seasons, not to feed birds already migrating south this fall. - The company’s approach builds on the work of late founder David Salman, who championed Agastache, commonly called hummingbird mint. - High Country Gardens also sponsors the International Hummingbird Society’s Certified Hummingbird Haven Program. - The program encourages food, water and shelter in wildlife-friendly gardens.

The details: - Flowering plants provide the natural nectar hummingbirds need. - Tubular blooms and vivid colors can help birds find food sources. - High Country Gardens recommends choosing plants matched to local climate, soil, sunlight and moisture. - Native plants can help regional wildlife, but not every native plant is a hummingbird food source. - The guide points to plants that can extend bloom across the season. - Spring and early summer options include Penstemon, Aquilegia, Heuchera and Lonicera. - Arp rosemary is another option where local conditions allow. - Midsummer through fall options include Agastache, Scrophularia macrantha, Monarda, Salvia and Zauschneria. - Hesperaloe suits warm, dry climates. - Annuals such as zinnia, cleome and Mexican sunflower can add nectar-rich color. - Spring-planted bulbs and corms such as crocosmia, gladiolus, callas and cannas can help while perennial plantings mature. - Columbine and coral bells can work in part-shade gardens. - Many Agastache, Penstemon, Salvia and Zauschneria selections can be waterwise once established in the right site. - The guide points gardeners to the company’s hummingbird plant selection for more ideas. - Water features such as fountains, drippers and low-volume misters can support drinking and bathing. - Water should be placed where cats cannot hide. - Conifers, shade trees and tall shrubs can provide resting and perching spots. - Leaving some bare branches can also help. - Keeping cats indoors protects visiting birds. - Hummingbirds also need small insects and spiders for protein. - Avoiding pesticides and herbicides helps protect those food sources. - Diverse plantings can support insects as well as bees, butterflies and other pollinators. - Feeders can supplement natural nectar when flowers are scarce or new plantings are not yet established. - High Country Gardens says flowering plants should remain the foundation of hummingbird habitat. - For feeder users, the International Hummingbird Society advises plain white granulated sugar and water. - The guidance says to avoid red dye, honey and alternative sweeteners. - Regular cleaning and fresh nectar help reduce fermentation and microbial growth, especially in warm weather. - Gifford said feeders can help gardeners observe hummingbirds up close and can make that experience more accessible to all ages. - The Certified Hummingbird Haven Program lets gardeners register their spaces, receive a personalized certificate and access tips through an e-newsletter. - Official Certified Hummingbird Haven signs are also available. - High Country Gardens says gardeners can support hummingbirds and other wildlife by combining nectar-rich flowers, water, shelter and a healthy food web.

Between the lines: - The update reinforces a waterwise gardening message rather than a feed-the-birds-only approach. - The emphasis on bloom timing, native selection and habitat structure suggests the company is pushing gardeners to think seasonally and ecologically, not just visually. - The inclusion of feeder guidance shows that artificial nectar is treated as a backup, not a substitute, for a functioning garden ecosystem.

What's next: - Gardeners can use fall planting to prepare for spring and summer blooms. - High Country Gardens is steering readers to its hummingbird plant selection, planting guide and related resources. - Gardeners interested in certification can register for the Certified Hummingbird Haven Program and display official signage if desired. - More information is available through the company’s hummingbird habitat guide, hummingbird plant ideas, fall planting advice, the Certified Hummingbird Haven Program, and David Salman’s hummingbird garden.

The bottom line: - High Country Gardens is using fall as the time to build a hummingbird habitat that can pay off in flowers, water, shelter and wildlife support next season.