Plant a Native Pollinator Garden
One major way to make a positive impact on pollinators—and beautify an outdoor space—is to plant a native pollinator garden. Native plants are well adapted to our local conditions and support many pollinators; some species rely on them exclusively. Also, some plants, like tomatoes and blueberries, won’t release their pollen unless they experience the wing vibrations of particular bees.
Even small outdoor spaces can provide quality habitat. A pollinator garden can range from a decorative planter with native flowers on your porch or small flowerbeds to larger vegetable gardens interspersed with flowers. When you are deciding how to create a native plant garden, keep in mind that all pollinators have the same basic needs to thrive:
Food
Cultivate plants that offer food such as pollen, nectar, seeds, and/or fruit.
Places to Raise Young
Offer places for butterflies and other insects to lay eggs and places for bees to nest:
- Bare sand for solitary nesting bees & wasps
- Dead wood for nesting bees & wasps
- Mud/water for moisture & nest material
- Wood piles/flaking bark for overwintering
No Toxins
Keep your outdoor areas free of pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, and non-organic fertilizers.
Tips for Creating a Native Plant Garden
- Plan the type of garden—do you want to convert a lawn into a garden, create a flowerbed, or make a container garden?
- Choose a set of native plants that will have some flowers in bloom in the spring, summer, and fall (see the recommendations below).
- Choose a diversity of native plants that attract different types of pollinators such as hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies; plants offer more to pollinators than just pollen and nectar—the caterpillars of butterflies and moths, for example, need leafy food to eat.
- Prepare your site for planting—depending on your project, this could include putting down soil, removing sod, etc; if you’re using seeds, start seeds inside or sow seeds in loose soil according to the requirements for each kind of plant.
Native Pollinator-Friendly Plants for Gardens & Landscapes
More Information & Resources
- New England Wildflower Society's native plant search >
- Not sure where to start? We recommend these six plants >