“When it comes to supporting your local ecosystem, giving pollinators food and shelter is a fantastic place to start. And the key to doing the most good? Diversity! Our pollinator friends need…”
Paeonia chinensis
The Ultimate Guide to Gardening for Pollinators
Pollinator gardening tips
When it comes to supporting your local ecosystem, giving pollinators food and shelter is a fantastic place to start. And the key to doing the most good? Diversity! Our pollinator friends need nourishment from the first sign of spring all the way to the end of autumn, so mixing perennials, annuals and shrubs together is the way to go.
Building a great pollinator habitat takes time, but every little bit genuinely helps. Even adding just one or two food sources for pollinators makes a real difference. The more varieties you plant, the more diversity you'll attract — it's that simple.
4 ways to make a more pollinator-friendly garden
If you're ready to make your garden more pollinator-friendly, here are a few key things to keep in mind:
1. High-quality food
High nectar and pollen production are what really matter when it comes to supporting pollinators. These are the top things to look for when picking a new addition to your garden.
2. Eye-catching color
Bees and butterflies hunt for food by sight, so go for bright colors like orange, red, yellow and purple — they make it so much easier for pollinators to find the goods.
3. The right shape
Different pollinators look for different bloom shapes depending on how they visit flowers. Funnel and tube shapes are hits with bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Beyond those, bell and composite shapes work great for bees, clustered or flat-topped options are perfect for butterflies, and trumpet-shaped flowers are hummingbird magnets.
4. Water access
Those little pools that form on broadleaf foliage like hydrangea macrophylla? They're a natural and beautiful way to help thirsty pollinators get a drink.
Choose the best location for your pollinator garden
Once you've picked your pollinator plants, it's time to choose a spot. Grouping plants together in clumps or mass plantings makes it way easier for pollinators to find food as they move through the garden. Remember, bees and butterflies rely on their eyesight to locate food, so placing two or more plants together makes them much easier to spot. Plus, it helps birds, butterflies, bees and others save energy while they feed.
Add plants with native roots
Think about working in plants with native roots — they bring the bonus of durability and sustainability. Plants native to your area are already adapted to your local pollinator populations, so they're easy, smart choices! Proven Winners® with native roots like Superlophus™ Sunglow Oenothera, derived from native Texas primrose, and 'Prairie Princess' Vernonia, a trending native perennial, are both beautiful and tough as nails.
And don't forget the classic Proven Winners pollinator favorites like Vermillionaire® Cuphea, Rockin'® Playin' the Blues® Salvia, Truffula® Pink Gomphrena, Suncredible® Yellow Helianthus and the Luscious® Lantana series.
For more advice on creating the perfect pollinator garden, check out more resources at: https://www.provenwinners.com/Gardening_for_Pollinators
All photos courtesy of Proven Winners
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