Pollinator Gardens

Pollinator gardens are crucial to keeping our local pollinators thriving; which in turn keeps our own food supplies abundant. When we think of pollination, we mostly think of bees, but there are many different pollinators and, therefore, many different types of gardens!

If you want to provide all of your local pollinators with a great source of nutrition, it’s imperative to build a multi-level garden. Here are a few tips and tricks to get you started.

For the bees

Bees like low-lying flowers that are blue and yellow, so start by planting a bee lawn along the front of your garden space. Plant lavender, bee balm, Mexican heather, crocus, primrose, and hyacinth for the best results. Be sure to check your gardening zone, as you want these flowers to thrive! Add in a shallow bowl filled with pebbles and water so your bees can stay hydrated as well.

For the butterflies

Butterflies like big bushy flowering plants that they can flit around. Lantanas, milkweed, aster, and purple coneflowers are perfect. Plant these along the back of your bee lawn for a gorgeous aesthetic that caters to both creatures. Monarch butterflies will only lay eggs on milkweed, so it’s imperative that you use this. You can watch the entire lifecycle if you do! Those gorgeous little caterpillars will cocoon up and hatch right in front of you!

For the hummingbirds

Many people don’t realize that hummingbirds are pollinators, but they are! Hummingbirds like trees and vines that have big bellflowers, and these trees make a perfect backdrop for your pollinator garden. Red buckeye, silk tree, crabapples, and eucalyptus are an excellent addition to a  starter garden. Again, be sure to check your zones. These trees will need to weather your winters to keep the hummingbirds coming back each year.

For the birds

Hummingbirds aren’t the only pollinators. Honeycreepers and spider hunters also play a vital role as they search for nectar. Other birds, such as your average blue jay, feed on the insects that pollinated flowers attract, scattering the seeds from the plant to propagate new trees and plants in the area. This is crucial for a healthy environment. Many of the plants you plant in your pollinator garden will attract these tasty bugs, and birds will spread their seeds far and wide.

For the bats

In desert climates, bats are crucial pollinators. Many species thrive on the nectar from desert plants. If you live in Arizona or New Mexico, consider making a bat-friendly garden and building bat boxes in your trees, so they have a place to live. Pollinating bats are endangered species, and you can play a significant role in helping them thrive with a little bit of planning.