One of the most important decisions when starting a pollinator garden is choosing the right plants. It can be confusing when you are planning a garden that has to provide food for native pollinators in the spring, summer, and fall and making sure they suit the amount of sunlight your yard can offer. But don’t have a bee in your bonnet! We put together this ultimate guide to plants that will be right at home in a pollinator garden.
Before we get started, there is one type of plant you need to avoid at all costs. Any plant that has been treated with pesticides will be harmful to pollinators. Make sure to check with a nursery employee to ensure the plants you are buying haven’t been treated with pesticides.
When choosing plants, look for species that are native to your geographic location. Pollinators and native plants have been evolving together for thousands of years and have developed special relationships. The plants listed in this article are native to Ontario, Canada.
It’s important for pollinators to have reliable food sources throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Try planting a mix of flowers that will blossom at different times, creating a garden that is always welcoming to pollinators and beautiful to look at.
Your garden will only be successful if the plants thrive in the area you choose to plant them in. We outline how to choose the perfect site for your pollinator garden in another article. In this article, each plant description includes the amount of sun it prefers.
Spring
Golden Alexander
Full Sun to Pt. Shade
Naturalizes nicely and can be easily pulled if it spreads beyond the desired area.
Prairie Smoke
Full Sun to Pt. Shade
Tolerates drought.
Canada Columbine
Full Sun to Pt. Shade
Tolerates drought.
Wild Strawberry
Full Sun to Pt. Shade
Good for naturalizing.
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Full Sun
Requires deadheading to encourage a second flowering.
Common Blue-Eyed Grass
Full Sun to Pt. Shade
Produces seeds under ideal conditions.
Canada Anemone
Full Sun to Pt. Shade
Makes good ground cover but will spread if not contained.
Foxglove
Full Sun
Avoid poorly drained areas.
Shooting Star
Pt. Shade to Shade
Avoid poorly drained areas.
