What would we do without pollinators? These tiny creatures, the bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, mosquitos, etc. are critical to our ecosystem and way of life. Without pollinators, we wouldn’t have tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, or squash. So, how do we attract these important critters? It’s simple. Plant what they like to eat. With it being National Pollinator Week (June 16-22, 2025), we can’t imagine a better time to help support pollinator habitats and beautify our outdoor spaces.
10% of your purchase of the Save The Monarchs Seed Collection goes to Monarch Joint Venture, partnering to conserve the monarch butterfly migration
To Attract Butterflies experts suggest planting a wide variety of flowers. Try planting Mexican Sunflower, Yarrow, Butterfly Weed, or Salvia. Other good options are Black-Eyed Susan, Coneflowers (Echinacea), or Phlox. And if those don’t fit your fancy, you could go with the ever-trusty Marigold, Wildflowers, or Heliotrope.
In addition to planting a variety of flowers in your garden, you can also prepare a place for the butterflies to “puddle,” where they can get the critical minerals they need. To do this, fill a shallow dish or pan with sand, then saturate the sand with water. You can even put a few rocks in there where the butterflies can land. Put the puddler in a sunny, protected place so the butterflies can sunbathe in the early morning sun before they get off on their way. Creating a butterfly garden is one of the most rewarding activities.
Your purchase benefits the protection of all bees! By growing a variety of flowers you can increase access to pollen for both native and honeybee species.
To Attract Bees to your garden, try planting blue, white, yellow, and purple flowers. These are the colors bees are most attracted to. Some common flowers bees like are bee balm (bergamot), purple coneflower, dill, mint, and sunflowers. We have a variety of Wildflower Mixes specially designed to attract bees. To lend the bees an extra hand, consider planting our Save the Bees wildflower mix linked above, as we are making a special donation to The Bee Conservancy with every purchase. You could also consider putting a bee box near your garden as a place for the bees to stay long-term. As with butterflies, bees can also benefit from having a place to get a drink, so putting a shallow dish of water near your garden with a few rocks or twigs for landing zones can help. Avoid using pesticides in your garden, as these are toxic for bees (and butterflies too).
To Attract Hummingbirds plant a variety of red flowers. They are also attracted to bright orange, yellow, and purple blooms. We recommend growing the Red Hot Sally II salvia, Poppy Power pollinator flower mix, columbine, mixed color morning glory, and hibiscus. Or, try this wildflower mixture to capture the hearts of your favorite winged friends.
If you would like to attract hummingbirds within viewing distance of patios or windows, consider hanging a nectar feeder. These are filled with sugar water as a supplement to natural nectar. Be sure to avoid any that are made with red food dye, as the dye is not good for birds. Make your own with 1 part sugar and 4 parts water. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Hang this in a place you can readily see and admire these tiny wonders as they pause to get a drink.
Happy Gardening!
2 comments
Hi Erica. I am a 63 yr old male who lives in N Ctrl Florida. My County (Columbia) actually borders the State of Georgia. Could you please teach me as to what pollinator seeds I should purchase in my area in order to attract bees, and what seeds I should purchase to attract butterflies. I also need your advice on where to place my contained pollinator boxes (I have three 8’ X 3’ containers). I have a 1+ acre parcel of land. My front has the best sun, and I have young Pecan trees, and young Granny Smith apple trees to the left of my big circular dirt driveway, and I have young Peach trees and a young fig tree to the right of my circular drive. In the middle I have citrus trees in large plastic pots (Orange and Pink Lemon). Would it be OK to put a pollinator box in between the fruit and nut trees on the right and left of my driveway? should I also put a pollinator box in the center of my circular driveway for the citrus trees? Thank you in advance for your professional answers and opinions. I really appreciate your input. PS—I would rather purchase seeds where some of the money goes towards saving our extremely important Pollinators! Sincerely, Andrew Dangelo
Growing pollinator plants is paramount to a successful garden!