I'd like to create a bee/butterfly/hummingbird-friendly garden this spring ... but I am a complete

[Botany]

16. I plant and plan butterfly/humming birds gardens for a living

Do not plant a butterfly bush .... non native and invasive use Itea viginica
(sweet spire) instead ...... the white flowers are butterfly magnates and it is a native
shrub .... it likes wet feet

how many hours per day of sunlight do you get in the area you want to
plant? and at what time of day do you get the sun? can you prune or
cut down some brush in order to get more sunlight?

If you have room a Hop tree is nice because it helps the swallowtail butterflies

new england aster is a hit w/monarch butterflies

swamp milkweed (wet feet ..... like by a down spout) and w/ enough sun
it is a host for the monarch butterfly

although not native a hanging basket w/ lantana will bring in humming birds

trumpet vine .... if you have the room is a great native

beardtongue penstemon and false indigo rock too

purple coneflower is a good one too.

some of the native goldenrods are good too

http://www.vnps.org/ contact this group for more info