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By nationally known gardening expert, author & TV/radio host Melinda Myers, published January 20, 2016.

Add a little extra color, motion and interest to your landscape by attracting birds and butterflies to the garden. Make sure your yard provides all the essentials – food, water, shelter and a place to raise young. And be sure to avoid the use of pesticides that can harm the wildlife you are trying to attract.

Even those with small spaces or balcony gardens can bring these winged beauties into their outdoor living space. All you need are container plantings and a bird bath or small water feature.

Include plants with tubular flowers of red or purple to attract the hummingbirds. Fuchsia, columbine and hosta are great for shady areas while nictoiana, verbena and cuphea perform well in the sun.

Use flat faced flowers like single marigolds and zinnias, daisies, garden phlox and heliotrope to bring in the butterflies. And you’ll need to provide food, like parsley, dill, butterfly weed and licorice vine for the caterpillars.