The U.S. hummingbird Forever stamps most people are looking for are the 2024 USPS Garden Delights issue. The set contains four coordinated designs. Every design shows a female ruby-throated hummingbird, paired with a zinnia, cigar flower, spotted touch-me-not or sunflower.
Garden Delights at a glance
| Official issue name | Garden Delights |
|---|---|
| Issue date | March 16, 2024 |
| First-day location | Strongsville, Ohio |
| Postage category | Ordinary First-Class Mail Forever |
| Number of designs | Four |
| Bird shown | Female ruby-throated hummingbird |
| Original USPS format | Double-sided booklet of 20 |
| Art direction and imagery | Designed by USPS art director Greg Breeding using photographs by Ben King |
How to identify the four hummingbird designs
| Flower | Visual cue | What stays consistent |
|---|---|---|
| Zinnia | Layered, rounded flower head | Female ruby-throated hummingbird hovering near the bloom |
| Cigar flower | Small tubular red-orange flowers | Same bird species and coordinated photographic treatment |
| Spotted touch-me-not | Orange hanging blossom with visible spots | Garden-pollinator theme |
| Sunflower | Large yellow petals surrounding a dark center | Ordinary Forever postage category |
The set does not show four different hummingbird species. The flower and composition change; the subject remains a female ruby-throated hummingbird.
Why the birds do not have a bright red throat
Adult male ruby-throated hummingbirds are known for a red iridescent throat patch. The Garden Delights stamps show females, which lack that bright gorget. That detail is useful when identifying the issue and prevents the four images from being mistaken for a mixed-species set.
What the stamps celebrate
USPS presented Garden Delights as a celebration of spring and summer gardens and the role hummingbirds play as pollinators. The official release notes that ruby-throated hummingbirds are the hummingbird species associated with gardens across the eastern and central United States.
Booklet format and design distribution
USPS issued Garden Delights as a double-sided booklet of 20. All four designs appear in the booklet, giving mailers a coordinated nature theme without using one identical image across every envelope. A retailer may sell multiple complete booklets together, so distinguish the original 20-stamp USPS format from the total quantity in a store listing.
Postage value and current use
Garden Delights are ordinary Forever stamps. A genuine unused stamp remains valid for the current domestic First-Class Mail one-ounce stamped-letter price. Extra weight, a square or rigid envelope, international mail or an added service can require more postage.
For the current retail option, see the Garden Delights Forever stamps product page. You can also browse related animal Forever stamps and flower Forever stamps.
Common identification mistakes
- Calling the issue simply “Hummingbirds” and missing the official Garden Delights name.
- Assuming each design represents a different bird species.
- Describing only one flower and treating it as the entire issue.
- Confusing a retailer’s 100-stamp bundle with the original USPS booklet size.
- Assuming the garden artwork changes the ordinary Forever postage category.
Frequently asked questions
What year are the hummingbird Forever stamps?
Garden Delights was issued March 16, 2024.
How many hummingbird stamp designs are there?
There are four designs, each showing a female ruby-throated hummingbird with a different flower.
What flowers appear on Garden Delights stamps?
Zinnia, cigar flower, spotted touch-me-not and sunflower.
Are 2024 Garden Delights stamps still valid?
Yes. Genuine unused examples retain ordinary Forever postage value.
Issue facts checked September 1, 2026: USPS Garden Delights release; USPS Postal Bulletin stamp announcement.