“Bee” a part of the solution and help support local pollinators by planting flowers in your garden! Whether you’re integrating more pollinator plants into your existing landscape or creating a new pollinator zone, you can establish a more productive and diverse ecosystem right in your own backyard with beautiful, blooming plants for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
From blooming wildflowers to the edible plants, pollinators play an irreplaceable role in maintaining biodiversity, food security, and ecological balance. The most charismatic pollinators in Pacific Northwest gardens are bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. These beloved pollinators visit flowers to consume the sweet floral nectar for energy and in the process, collect pollen which is then transferred to the next flower they visit!
- Bees are the primary pollinator for so many of our food crops and garden plants—the tiny heroes of our ecosystem! From blooming wildflowers to edible plants, bees play an irreplaceable role in maintaining biodiversity, food security, and ecological balance. Bees are particularly drawn to pollen-rich flowers that have exposed anthers or clusters of tiny flowers and are highly-attracted to the color yellow.
- Butterflies are beautiful and beneficial pollinating insects. As caterpillars they may munch selectively on some leaves, but as flying butterflies they make up for any damage with their beautiful form and helpful pollination. Butterflies love fragrant and nectar-rich flowers that are made up of many small clusters of tube-like flowers.
- Hummingbirds are “flying jewels” that love visiting flowers to drink nectar, and in the process help spread pollen from flower to flower! These territorial birds will return to your garden year after year to pollinate plants. Hummingbirds love tubular flowers in a range of colors, with a special preference for red, peach, pink, and salmon.
Dennis’ 7 Dees has a fantastic selection of flowering plants to help support pollinators all year long. Visit our Garden Centers today to see what’s in bloom today!
Top 12 Summer Perennials for Pollinator Gardens in the Pacific Northwest
- Hyssop – Agastache: Aromatic foliage of Hyssop gives rise to wands of fragrant, colorful flowers in a rainbow of colors that attract bees and hummingbirds.
- Bee Balm – Monarda: With its showy clusters of red, pink, or purple flowers, Bee Balm is highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
- Tickseed – Coreopsis: Flat yellow daisy-like flowers are a magnet for bees – some Coreposis even have dark markings to guide bees towards the center of the flower.
- Coneflower – Echinacea: Pointed orange cones are surrounded by petals in every imaginable color on Echinacea flowers that bees and butterflies (and a host of other pollinators) adore.
- Foxglove – Digitalis: Tall, elegant spires of bell-shaped flowers on Foxgloves provide nectar to bees and hummingbirds alike.
- Avens – Geum: Delicate, cupped petals surround fuzzy centers on Geum flowers which bloom early and often and attract bees and hoverflies.
- Catmint – Nepeta: Low-growing, fragrant Catmint foliage is topped by spikes of lavender, purple, or blue flowers that are highly attractive to bees and butterflies.
- Cape Fuchsia – Phygelius: Long, fluted flowers in sunset tones are borne on Cape Fuchsia’s sturdy foliage and are a favorite of hummingbirds.
- Sage – Salvia: The nectar-rich flowers and many species of Salvia in every color imaginable entice a host of pollinators including hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.
- Pincushion Flower – Scabiosa: Flat clusters of Scabiosa flowers in white, blue or pink top graceful stems on this long-blooming perennial that attracts bees, butterflies and hoverflies.
- Lavender – Lavendula: Fragrant and evergreen, this loved herb produces fragrant flower wands with clusters of purple, pink, or white flowers that attract bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies.
- Yarrow – Achillea: Flat clusters of tiny flowers in bright pops of color are a hallmark of drought-tolerant Yarrow and a favorite of native bees and hoverflies.
Tips for Designing a Pollinator Garden
By creating a pollinator garden, you can provide a welcoming habitat for bees, ensuring their survival while enjoying the beauty of a thriving garden. Here are some helpful considerations when designing a bee-friendly garden:
Plant a diversity of flowers: Bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies are attracted to a wide range of flower shapes, colors, and scents. Incorporate a variety of flower types including tubular, bell-shaped, flat, and clustered flowers to accommodate various pollinators. Thanks to modern plant breeding, many favorite pollinator flowers are available in a wide range of colors making it easier to stick to a tighter color palette while still attracting a range of pollinators.
Have something blooming year-round: In our changing climate, bees hibernate later in the season and may wake up earlier in the year, and hummingbirds visit PNW gardens all year long! Choose a variety of flowering plants that bloom at different times throughout the year to provide a consistent food source. Check out our blog on Supporting Pollinators in Fall & Winter for more tips.
Include native plants: Native plants are well-adapted to the local climate and provide the best resources for local bee, butterfly, and moth species.
Plant in clusters: Planting flowering plants in clusters or “pollinator targets” helps pollinators locate and efficiently collect nectar and pollen. Grouping several of the same plant species together will also create a stronger visual impact and attract more bees to your garden.
Avoid pesticide use: Pesticides can be harmful to bees and other pollinators. Instead of using pesticides, create a healthy garden ecosystem by practicing organic gardening methods, focusing on healthy plants and soils, promoting natural pest control, and utilizing companion planting to deter pests.
Provide a water source: Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds all need water for hydration and for nest-building, so consider including a water feature in your garden. Fill a shallow dish or birdbath with fresh water and add some rocks or floating plants for the bees and butterflies to land on while drinking, and provide mist or a shower to visiting hummingbirds!
Create nesting sites: Bees and butterflies require suitable nesting sites to raise their young. Leave some areas of bare soil or provide small piles of twigs, leaves, and hollow plant stems for solitary bees to nest in. You can also install bee houses specifically designed for solitary bees.
Other Types of Pollinators
Apart from bees and butterflies, many other insects contribute to pollination, including flies, wasps, ants, moths, and beetles. Bats, often overlooked in the pollinator community, are also incredibly important pollinators, particularly in tropical and desert regions.
- Flies: Flies are attracted to flowers that have a strong odor, and they often have a hairy body that aids in pollen transfer. NOTE: Flies only have two wings, while bees and wasps have four wings. Bee-mimicking flies include bee flies, robber flies, and hoverflies.
- Wasps: Wasps, despite their reputation as are fierce predators with painful stingers, actually play a surprising role in the realm of pollination. Unlike bees that deliberately collect pollen, wasps inadvertently carry pollen from one flower to another as they forage for nectar or prey on other insects—this is known as incidental or secondary pollination.
- Ants: Ants contribute to pollination by inadvertently transferring pollen as they move from flower to flower in search of nectar. Though not as efficient as bees, their persistent foraging helps ensure the cross-pollination of various plants.
- Moths: Unlike butterflies, moths are primarily active at night and are attracted to pale or white flowers that emit a strong fragrance. They have long tongues that they use to reach deep into flowers to access nectar. As they visit multiple flowers, they inadvertently transfer pollen.
- Beetles: Beetles are attracted to flowers with strong odors. Beetles are not the most efficient pollinators, but they make up for it with their sheer numbers. Some plants have even evolved specialized structures to accommodate beetles, such as shallow, bowl-shaped flowers that allow easy access for these pollinators.
- Bats: Bats are the primary pollinators for many night-blooming flowers. These nocturnal creatures have unique adaptations for pollination, such as long tongues and strong teeth for accessing nectar and pollen. As bats feed on nectar, pollen attaches to their fur and is transferred from flower to flower as they move around. Their ability to cover large distances during their nightly foraging makes them effective pollinators across vast areas.
Different species of pollinators have varying preferences—providing a diverse range of flowering plants that bloom throughout the seasons can help attract and support a variety of pollinators in your garden!