The Best Plants for Attracting Bees and Pollinators to Your Garden

Did you know that one out of every three bites of food you eat exists because a pollinator visited a flower? Bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and hummingbirds do the invisible, indispensable work of moving pollen from bloom to bloom, making the fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds we love possible.

And yet, we are losing pollinators at an alarming rate. Habitat destruction, monoculture farming, pesticide use, and climate change have pushed many species to the brink. Native bee populations—there are over 4,000 species in North America alone—have declined dramatically in recent decades, and the honeybee hives kept by beekeepers are facing devastating pressure from pests and disease.

Here’s the beautiful, hopeful truth: your garden can make a real difference. Even a small yard, a patio container, or a strip of garden in front of your house can provide food, shelter, and refuge for a stunning diversity of pollinators. And the rewards come straight back to you: better vegetable yields, thriving fruit trees, and a garden alive with color, movement, and the satisfying hum of bees at work.

Below, you’ll find over 40 of the very best plants for attracting bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and other pollinators—spanning annuals, perennials, herbs, native wildflowers, shrubs, and trees. Together, they can create a pollinator garden that hums from early spring through late fall.

Why Pollinators Are in Trouble—and How You Can Help

The story of pollinators is, in large part, the story of human land use. As natural habitat has been replaced by lawns, parking lots, and monoculture agriculture, the diverse landscapes that supported thousands of bee, butterfly, and moth species have disappeared. Many pollinators—especially native bees—are highly specialized, dependent on just a handful of plant species to meet all their nutritional needs.

The good news is that research consistently shows that gardens can be extraordinary refuges for pollinator diversity. A study from Oregon State University found that even a tiny garden right against a freeway had the second-highest bee diversity of all 24 gardens surveyed—because the gardener had made intentional, excellent plant choices. Your choices matter enormously.

Principles for a Successful Pollinator Garden

A few basic guidelines can help you create an effective habitat that will sustain pollinators all season long:

1. Plant a diversity of flower shapes, sizes, and colors to support a wide range of pollinator species.
2. Ensure something is blooming from very early spring through late fall to feed pollinators throughout the season.
3. Plant in generous drifts—a single plant rarely attracts pollinators, but a mass of 3–7 plants is a beacon!
4. Prioritize native plants when you can; they are four times more attractive to native bees than non-natives.
5. Choose single flowers over heavily doubled varieties—doubled flowers hide their nectar and pollen from bees.
6. Avoid systemic pesticides entirely, and apply any other sprays only at night when bees are inactive.
7. Leave some bare ground in a quiet, sunny spot for ground-nesting native bees.
8. Leave hollow-stemmed plants and dead flower heads standing through winter as bee nesting habitat.
9. Provide a clean water source. A dish filled with pebbles or marbles (so tiny pollinators can stand without drowning), replenished every day or two, can serve hundreds of thirsty foragers.

Part One: Annuals

Annuals bloom prolifically from summer through frost, often far longer than any perennial. They’re the workhorses of the pollinator garden, providing continuous nectar through the hottest months. Most are inexpensive from seed and easy to grow directly in the garden.

Borage (Borago officinalis)

If you grow just one annual for bees, make it borage. Its brilliant blue, star-shaped flowers produce nectar so abundantly that you can actually watch honeybees working them in a frenzy. Borage self-sows freely, so plant it once and it will return year after year. The leaves and flowers are edible, with a mild cucumber flavor—lovely in salads and as a companion plant for tomatoes and squash.
Full sun | Direct sow in spring | Annual | All zones | Bloom time: early summer through frost

Phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia)

Phacelia is perhaps the single most powerful bee-attracting annual you can grow. Studies show it is extraordinarily attractive to honeybees, bumblebees, and countless native bee species. Its coiled clusters of lavender-blue flowers are the bee equivalent of a diner sign with a neon ‘Open All Day’ banner. It’s also a fantastic cover crop that adds nitrogen to the soil.
Full sun | Direct sow in early spring | Annual | All zones | Bloom time: late spring–midsummer

Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)

Cosmos’ daisy-like blooms in shades of pink, white, magenta, and burgundy are deeply attractive to bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps. Leave the seed heads and you’ll feed goldfinches too. They thrive on neglect and poor soil, making them perfect for filling in any bare corner.
Full sun | Direct sow after last frost | Annual | All zones | Bloom time: midsummer–frost

Zinnias (Zinnia elegans)

Zinnias are the multi-purpose workhorses of the summer pollinator garden. Planted as companion plants in vegetable beds, they lure bees to your squash and cucumber blossoms, dramatically boosting fruit set. Single and semi-double varieties are far more pollinator-friendly than fully doubled types, as bees can easily access their pollen and nectar. ‘Profusion’ and ‘Benary’s Giant’ are excellent choices.
Full sun | Start indoors 4–6 weeks before last frost or direct sow | Annual | All zones | Bloom time: midsummer–frost

Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus)

A single sunflower head is actually made up of hundreds—sometimes thousands—of tiny individual flowers, each brimming with pollen and nectar. They act like huge landing pads calling pollinators from great distances. Plant ‘Lemon Queen’ or ‘Mammoth Grey Stripe’ for maximum bee activity. After the blooms fade, leave the seed heads standing as a food source for songbirds like chickadees and goldfinches.
Full sun | Direct sow after last frost | Annual | All zones | Bloom time: midsummer–early fall

Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima)

This humble, honey-scented ground cover is an all-you-can-eat buffet for tiny pollinators that often go unnoticed, like hoverflies, parasitic wasps, lacewings, and small native bees. Planted at the base of vegetable crops, alyssum lures beneficial insects that control aphids and other pests. It’s fast-growing, self-sowing, and blooms all season long—a classic low-input, high-reward plant.
Full sun to part shade | Start indoors or direct sow | Annual | All zones | Bloom time: spring–frost

Marigolds (Tagetes spp.)

Don’t write off marigolds as common—they’re garden royalty for good reason. Single-flowered varieties like French marigolds and signet marigolds are loaded with nectar and draw bumblebees, honeybees, and hoverflies in impressive numbers. Their famous pest-repelling properties (especially against nematodes and aphids) make them indispensable companion plants in the vegetable garden. Go for single flowers over the big pom-pom types.
Full sun | Start indoors 4–6 weeks before last frost | Annual | All zones | Bloom time: summer–frost

Part Two: Perennials

Perennials are the backbone of any sustainable pollinator garden—plant them once and they return for years, spreading and establishing ever-more-productive colonies of bloom. A well-chosen mix of perennials creates a dependable garden that requires less and less work as it matures.

Agastache (Hyssop) (Agastache spp.)

Similar to anise hyssop, the ornamental agastaches—like ‘Blue Fortune,’ ‘Golden Jubilee,’ and the desert hyssops of the Southwest—have become some of the most beloved plants in modern pollinator gardening. Hummingbirds, bumblebees, and dozens of native bee species can’t leave them alone. They bloom for an extraordinarily long season and are typically drought-tolerant and heat-loving once established. Most are also beautifully fragrant.
Full sun | Well-drained soil | Perennial (varies by species) | Zones 5–10 | Bloom time: midsummer–fall

Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)

Anise hyssop is a top pick from the University of Florida, the Xerces Society, and gardeners across the country for good reason: Its dense, fragrant purple flower spikes are one of the most intensely bee-visited plants you can grow. Both the flowers and leaves are edible with a sweet anise-licorice flavor, and the plant is a prolific self-sower—once established, you’ll have it forever. An excellent choice for prairie-style gardens.
Full sun | Well-drained to dry soil | Perennial | Zones 4–9 | Bloom time: midsummer–early fall

Aster (Symphyotrichum spp.)

Asters are the unsung heroes of the late-season pollinator garden. When most flowers have given up for the year and bees are trying to build their winter stores, asters burst into bloom—a breathtaking constellation of purple, lavender, pink, and white daisy-like flowers that bees and migrating monarch butterflies descend on with obvious relief. Native asters (Symphyotrichum species, formerly classified as Aster) are also critical host plants for the larvae of several specialist native bee species that feed on nothing else. Plant them at the back of the border and let them do their quiet, vital work.
Full sun to part shade | Average to moist soil | Perennial | Zones 3–8 | Bloom time: late summer–fall

Bee Balm (Monarda spp.)

Bee balm may have ‘bee’ right there in the name, but it earns attention from a spectacular range of pollinators, including bumblebees, hummingbirds, butterflies, and hawk moths. Its shaggy, firework-like blooms in deep red, pink, lavender, and white are native to North America and have a long cultural history with both Indigenous communities and herbalists. Bee balm leaves are excellent in tea, with a strong bergamot taste. Choose mildew-resistant varieties like ‘Jacob Cline’ or wild bergamot (M. fistulosa) for the best performance.
Full sun to part shade | Moist soil | Perennial | Zones 4–9 | Bloom time: midsummer

Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

If you want a native wildflower that essentially takes care of itself, black-eyed Susan is your plant. That dark center isn’t just a design feature—it’s made up of hundreds of shallow nectar cups that predatory insects find irresistible. Bumblebees, sweat bees, and butterflies work these cheerful golden blooms constantly from midsummer into fall. Let the seed heads stand through winter to feed birds and provide shelter for native bee larvae.
Full sun | Average to poor soil | Perennial/biennial | Zones 3–7 | Bloom time: midsummer–fall

Catmint (Catnip) (Nepeta spp.)

Catmint or catnip is one of those plants that makes pollinator gardening feel almost effortless. Cascading mounds of soft lavender-blue flowers smother the plant from late spring right into fall if you shear it back after the first flush. Research from Oregon State University and elsewhere confirms it’s one of the most bee-attractive plants in the entire garden—rivaling even native wildflowers. It’s also drought-tolerant, deer-resistant, magnificently fragrant, and excellent in herbal teas. (But you might have trouble keeping your house cat out of it!)
Full sun | Well-drained soil | Perennial | Zones 3–8 | Bloom time: late spring–fall (if cut back)

Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)

Goldenrod has a bad reputation it doesn’t deserve—it’s blamed for hay fever caused by ragweed (which blooms at the same time and is wind-pollinated). In truth, goldenrod is one of the single most valuable pollinator plants in North America. Its late-season golden spikes attract honeybees, native bees, monarch butterflies, painted ladies, soldier beetles, and more. It is especially vital in fall, when little else is blooming and bees need to build winter stores.
Full sun to part shade | Average to poor soil | Perennial | Zones 3–9 | Bloom time: late summer–fall

Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum)

Joe Pye weed is the gentle giant of the native pollinator garden, growing 5–7 feet tall and crowned in late summer with massive, fuzzy mauve flower heads that butterflies—especially swallowtails—cannot resist. Beyond butterflies, it attracts native bees and has hollow stems that provide nesting habitat for stem-nesting native bees in winter. It thrives in moist spots where many other plants struggle, making it perfect for rain gardens.
Full sun to part shade | Moist soil | Perennial | Zones 4–9 | Bloom time: midsummer–early fall

Penstemon (Beardtongue) (Penstemon spp.)

Penstemons are native wildflowers that are irresistible to bumblebees and hummingbirds—the tubular flowers are specifically shaped to accommodate their long tongues. With over 270 species native to North America, there’s a penstemon adapted to nearly every climate and soil type. They’re drought-tolerant, deer-resistant, and produce strikingly beautiful flower spikes in shades of red, pink, purple, and white.
Full sun | Well-drained soil | Perennial | Zones vary by species (3–9) | Bloom time: spring–summer

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea) (Echinacea purpurea)

Echinacea is one of North America’s most important native wildflowers, and its large, slightly drooping petals surrounding a spiky orange-brown cone are instantly recognizable. Bumblebees and monarch butterflies are especially fond of it, along with swallowtail butterflies and goldfinches (for the seed heads). It’s drought-tolerant, extremely long-blooming, and remarkably disease-resistant. A must-have for any American pollinator garden.
Full sun to light shade | Average to dry soil | Perennial | Zones 3–9 | Bloom time: midsummer–early fall

Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)

Russian sage is one of those plants that looks spectacular from a distance—a shimmering haze of silvery-blue—and reveals its secret up close: every stem is covered in tiny, nectar-rich flowers alive with bees. Oregon State University researchers found it to be highly attractive to bees, sometimes even rivaling native plants in terms of bee visitation. It is drought-tolerant, deer-resistant, and thrives in the toughest, hottest, sunniest conditions.
Full sun | Well-drained, poor soil | Perennial | Zones 4–9 | Bloom time: midsummer–early fall

Salvia (Ornamental Sage) (Salvia spp.)

If you want a plant that delivers drama and ecological value in equal measure, ornamental salvia is your answer. The hundreds of species and cultivars available—from the classic deep-red ‘Hot Lips’ to the towering electric-blue Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’—are all magnets for bumblebees, honeybees, hummingbirds, and hawk moths. The tubular flowers are perfectly shaped for long-tongued pollinators, and the plants bloom with almost reckless generosity from late spring right through frost. Hardy salvias like S. nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ are among the most bee-visited plants in research garden trials across Europe and North America.
Full sun | Well-drained soil | Annual or perennial depending on species | Zones 4–10 | Bloom time: late spring–frost

Sedum (Stonecrop) (Hylotelephium spectabile)

Sedum flowers in fall when very few other plants are blooming, making it an essential late-season resource for bees that need to fatten up before winter. The flat-topped flower heads in shades of pink, burgundy, and white are absolutely smothered in honeybees, bumblebees, and monarch butterflies on warm September and October days. ‘Autumn Joy’ is the classic variety, but many new cultivars have been selected for even better pollinator performance.
Full sun | Well-drained soil | Perennial | Zones 3–9 | Bloom time: late summer–fall

Veronica (Speedwell) (Veronica spicata)

Veronicas produce long, tapering flower spikes in shades of blue, purple, pink, and white that are adored by bumblebees and hoverflies. They’re easy-care perennials that return reliably each spring and bloom over a long season. Deadheading prolongs the show. Low-growing varieties make excellent ground covers, while upright forms add vertical interest to the border. They combine beautifully with Echinacea and Black-Eyed Susan.
Full sun to part shade | Moist, well-drained soil | Perennial | Zones 3–8 | Bloom time: early–midsummer

Part Three: Culinary Herbs

Many of the most powerful pollinator plants in existence are herbs you already grow for the kitchen. Herbs in the mint family (Lamiaceae)—which includes lavender, thyme, oregano, sage, basil, catmint, and lemon balm—are among the most bee-attractive plants on earth. Many have been studied and consistently ranked at the top of bee visitation surveys. The bonus, of course, is that you also get to eat them.

The key is simple: let them flower. Most of us cut our herbs back before they bloom. Resist the urge on a plant or two, and watch what happens.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum)

Most basil fans never let their plants flower—but if you have room for a plant or two to bolt, you’ll be rewarded with a buzzing hub of activity. African blue basil in particular is a legendary pollinator plant: its continuous blooms attract bees, butterflies, and hoverflies from morning to evening. For the best of both worlds, grow a row for the kitchen and let one plant go to flower for the bees.
Full sun | Rich, moist soil | Annual herb | All zones | Bloom time: summer–frost (when allowed to flower)

Borage (Borago officinalis)

Mentioned already as an annual, borage doubles as a culinary herb whose flowers and young leaves taste of cucumber. Tuck it into your herb garden, vegetable beds, and flower borders alike. It repels tomato hornworms, attracts pollinators, and adds edible blue star-flowers to your salads and cocktails. It’s one of those rare plants that earns its keep in every part of the garden.
Full sun | Average soil | Annual herb | All zones | Bloom time: summer

Chives and Alliums (Allium spp.)

The round, purple globes of both culinary chives and ornamental alliums attract bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects. Grow them in the vegetable garden, in borders, or in containers. Ornamental alliums like ‘Globemaster’ and ‘Purple Sensation’ make striking statements in spring while supporting early-season bees emerging from dormancy.
Full sun | Average to well-drained soil | Perennial herb/bulb | Zones 3–9 | Bloom time: spring–early summer

Culinary Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

Already listed as a garden perennial, it deserves mention again in the herb garden—because you truly can’t have too much lavender. Lavandula angustifolia is the only edible lavender, so use it as a border hedge, a container plant, or a fragrant walkway edging. It’s an incredible culinary herb used in herbes de Provence, lavender cookies, jelly, and lemonade.
Full sun | Well-drained soil | Perennial herb | Zones 5–9 | Bloom time: early–midsummer

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

Lemon balm has a long, fascinating relationship with bees—ancient beekeepers rubbed hive boxes with it to attract swarms, and its genus name Melissa is literally the Greek word for ‘honeybee.’ The small white flowers may be unassuming, but they are intensely attractive to bees and bloom over a very long season. Use the leaves for herbal tea, lemonade, and in salads. It can spread aggressively, so site it where it has room or grow it in a container.
Full sun to part shade | Average soil | Perennial herb | Zones 4–9 | Bloom time: summer

Oregano (Origanum vulgare)

Oregano is one of the most beloved culinary herbs in the world—and one of the most beloved by pollinators. Let your oregano plants flower and you’ll find them alive with tiny native bees, honeybees, and hoverflies. The small, tubular blossoms are perfectly sized for small pollinators that often struggle with larger flowers. Greek oregano (O. vulgare subsp. hirtum) is particularly fragrant and attractive to bees.
Full sun | Well-drained, poor to average soil | Perennial herb | Zones 5–10 | Bloom time: midsummer

Sage (Salvia officinalis)

Most gardeners harvest sage leaves religiously—but resist the urge to deadhead every flower stalk that appears. Culinary sage in bloom is visited by bumblebees, honeybees, and mason bees, and if you allow it to flower freely you’ll see remarkable bee activity. Let at least a few plants flower before cutting them back.
Full sun | Well-drained soil | Perennial herb | Zones 5–8 | Bloom time: late spring–early summer

Thyme (Thymus spp.)

Creeping thyme in full bloom is a carpet of color absolutely humming with bees—one of the most charming and productive sights in any garden. Both culinary thyme and ornamental creeping thyme are outstanding pollinator plants. Use thyme as a ground cover between stepping stones, as a lawn alternative in sunny spots, or as an edging for herb beds. Once established, it handles foot traffic, drought, and poor soil with ease.
Full sun | Well-drained, poor soil | Perennial herb | Zones 4–9 | Bloom time: late spring–summer

Part Four: Native Wildflowers

Native plants are the gold standard for pollinator gardening. They’ve evolved alongside native pollinators over thousands of years, often producing the exact blend of nectar chemistry, flower structure, and bloom timing that local bees, butterflies, and moths need to thrive. Native plants also serve as host plants for caterpillars—the larval stage of butterflies and moths that can only eat the leaves of specific species.

Wherever you can, weave native wildflowers into your borders, meadow plantings, or woodland edges. The Xerces Society and your local Cooperative Extension office are excellent resources for region-specific native plant recommendations.

Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

The wild cousin of cultivated bee balm, wild bergamot is considered one of the most ecologically important native wildflowers in North America for bees. Unlike M. didyma, it tolerates dry conditions beautifully, making it an ideal prairie or meadow plant. Its lavender-pink flowers attract an extraordinary diversity of native bees, butterflies, and hummingbird moths. It also has deep cultural significance as a traditional medicinal herb for many Indigenous peoples.
Full sun | Dry to average soil | Perennial | Zones 3–9 | Bloom time: midsummer

Coreopsis (Tickseed) (Coreopsis spp.)

Coreopsis’ brilliant golden-yellow, daisy-like blooms cheerfully attract bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects all season long. It’s remarkably drought-tolerant and even thrives in poor, sandy soil—making it perfect for difficult spots. As a bonus, the seed heads become important food for songbirds in fall and winter. Many varieties self-sow readily, rewarding you with more plants every year.
Full sun | Poor to average, well-drained soil | Perennial | Zones 4–9 | Bloom time: summer–fall

False Blue Indigo (Baptisia australis)

Blue Indigo or Baptisia is a long-lived, spectacular native wildflower that produces tall spikes of rich indigo-blue, pea-like flowers in spring—a critical time when bumblebee queens are emerging and desperately need food. Once established (it can take 2–3 years), it forms a massive shrub-like clump that needs zero care and lives for decades. It’s also a host plant for wild indigo duskywing and orange sulfur butterflies.
Full sun to light shade | Well-drained soil | Perennial | Zones 3–9 | Bloom time: late spring

Milkweed (Asclepias spp.)

Milkweed is the single most important plant for monarch butterflies, whose caterpillars can only eat its leaves—no milkweed means no monarchs. But its value extends far beyond monarchs: the intensely fragrant flower clusters are among the most nectar-rich of any native plant and attract dozens of bee and butterfly species. Common milkweed (A. syriaca), butterfly weed (A. tuberosa), and swamp milkweed (A. incarnata) are all excellent choices depending on your site.
Full sun | Dry to moist soil (varies by species) | Perennial | Zones 3–9 | Bloom time: summer

Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum spp.)

Studies show that in full bloom, mountain mint’s small white flowers are visited by more species of pollinators than almost any other plant in the native garden. It hosts a stunning diversity of native bees, wasps, beetles, and butterflies simultaneously. It has a refreshing minty fragrance and makes a lovely cut flower or dried herb.
Full sun to part shade | Average to moist soil | Perennial | Zones 4–8 | Bloom time: midsummer

Phlox (Wild Blue Phlox) (Phlox divaricata)

Wild blue phlox is a native woodland wildflower that blooms in spring when many pollinators are first emerging. Its fragrant, lavender-blue flowers attract native bees, butterflies, and sphinx moths. It spreads gently to form drifts of color in shady to partly shady gardens where most pollinator plants won’t grow—filling an important seasonal gap in the pollinator calendar.
Part shade to full shade | Moist, well-drained soil | Perennial | Zones 3–9 | Bloom time: spring

Part Five: Shrubs and Trees

Trees and shrubs are often overlooked in pollinator garden planning, but they are extraordinarily important—especially in early spring, when garden flowers are still weeks away. A single blooming tree can provide more pollen and nectar than an entire bed of garden flowers. If you have the space, strategic tree and shrub selection is one of the highest-impact things you can do for pollinators.

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)

Buttonbush is a native shrub that earns its remarkable reputation in any garden with wet or moist conditions. Its bizarre, perfectly spherical white flowers—looking like something from a science fiction film—are intensely attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. It blooms in midsummer when competition from other plants makes good pollinator resources harder to find. An invaluable plant for rain gardens, pond edges, and wet meadow plantings.
Full sun to part shade | Wet to moist soil | Deciduous shrub | Zones 5–9 | Bloom time: midsummer

Crabapple (Malus floribunda)

Crabapples are among the most important spring-blooming trees for bees. Their masses of pink and white flowers provide an enormous banquet of pollen and nectar at a critical time—early spring, when overwintering bees and newly emerging queens are desperate for food and colonies need to rebuild. A single crabapple tree in bloom produces more food for bees than dozens of garden flowers combined. The berries feed birds through winter.
Full sun | Average, well-drained soil | Deciduous tree | Zones 4–8 | Bloom time: early–mid spring

Linden (Basswood) (Tilia spp.)

A linden tree in full bloom produces so much nectar that you can smell it from yards away—and beekeepers have long prized ‘linden honey’ as one of the finest honeys in the world. The flowers are almost overwhelming in their attractiveness to every bee species imaginable. If you have space for just one large tree specifically chosen for pollinators, a linden is hard to beat. Littleleaf linden (T. cordata) is a beautiful, manageable size for most yards.
Full sun to part shade | Average, moist soil | Deciduous tree | Zones 3–7 | Bloom time: early–midsummer

Oregon Grape (Mahonia) (Berberis aquifolium)

Oregon grape (the Oregon State flower) is one of the most important early-season shrubs for pollinators in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Its clusters of bright yellow flowers burst open in late winter or early spring, providing a critical first meal for queen bumblebees and other early-emerging native bees. The dark purple berries that follow are valuable wildlife food. It’s an evergreen, deer-resistant native shrub that thrives in shade and poor soil.
Part shade to full shade | Average to poor soil | Evergreen shrub | Zones 5–9 | Bloom time: late winter–early spring

Willows (Salix spp.)

Willows are among the very first trees to bloom each spring—sometimes even in late winter—and that makes them extraordinarily valuable. At a time when almost nothing else is flowering, willows provide a critical early source of both pollen and nectar for bumblebee queens and other native bees emerging from dormancy. Even small ornamental willows contribute enormously to the early-season food supply. If you have wet, low-lying ground, willows are your first choice.
Full sun | Moist to wet soil | Deciduous tree/shrub | Zones vary | Bloom time: late winter–early spring

Putting It All Together: Designing Your Pollinator Garden

Aim for Something Blooming in Every Season

The most important design principle for a pollinator garden is succession of bloom: ensuring that there is always something flowering from the moment the first bees emerge in late winter or early spring until the last bees disappear in late fall.

• Early spring (February–April): Willow, Oregon grape, crabapple, chives, wild blue phlox
• Late spring (May–June): Baptisia, catmint, penstemon, phacelia, allium, oregano, thyme, lavender
• Midsummer (July–August): All the annuals, basil, bee balm, echinacea, black-eyed Susan, anise hyssop, mountain mint, salvia
• Late summer–fall (September–November): Goldenrod, Joe Pye weed, sedum, asters, agastache, Russian sage

Plant in Drifts

Research is clear on this: a single plant rarely attracts many pollinators, but a drift of 3–7 or more plants of the same species creates a beacon that pollinators can see and smell from a distance. If you have limited space, plant fewer species in larger drifts rather than many species as singletons.

Include Water

A shallow dish of water with pebbles or marbles for landing spots can make a meaningful difference to bees on hot days, especially honeybees managing hive temperatures. Change the water every few days to prevent mosquito breeding. A small birdbath, a saucer buried flush with the ground, or even a dripping hose can serve the purpose.

Leave Some Bare Ground

Approximately 70% of native bee species are ground-nesters, laying their eggs in small burrows in bare, sunny, undisturbed soil. Leave patches of bare ground in sunny spots — or simply resist the urge to mulch every inch of the garden. A section of south-facing slope with loose, sandy soil is prime nesting real estate for native bees.

Let It Go to Seed

Resist the urge to deadhead everything and shear plants back to the ground at the first frost. Hollow-stemmed plants like Joe Pye weed and sunflowers provide winter nesting sites for stem-nesting native bees. Seed heads feed birds through winter. Standing dead plant material shelters overwintering beneficial insects at every life stage: eggs, pupae, and adults.

A Note on Pesticides

All the beautiful plants in the world won’t help pollinators if they’re sprayed with pesticides. Systemic pesticides—especially neonicotinoids like imidacloprid and clothianidin—are absorbed into every part of the plant, including the pollen and nectar that bees and butterflies eat. They are extraordinarily toxic to bees and have been linked directly to colony collapse and native bee decline. Avoid them entirely.

Even organic pesticides like pyrethrin and neem oil can harm bees if applied while plants are in flower. Follow these simple rules:

• Never spray blooming plants
• If treatment is necessary, spray in the evening after bees have returned to their nests
• Choose the most targeted, least harmful product possible
• Consult your local Cooperative Extension office or Master Gardener program before treating
• Tolerate low levels of insect damage. Most plants shrug it off, and the predatory insects that come to your pollinator garden will handle many pest problems for you

Your garden is a small but mighty ecosystem. Every flower you plant is an invitation—a table set for the flying, buzzing, fluttering community that makes our food and wild places possible. Plant with intention, and watch life return.

_{Photo credit: Deposit Photos}