My Pollinator Garden
I have what is sometimes referred to as a pollinator garden. It is filled with colorful and fragrant flowers and herbs that attract and feed pollinators such as honey bees, native bees, moths and butterflies. When I harvest, I make sure to always leave plenty of blooms to keep them busy and happy. Yesterday, we watched countless butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, bees, robins, chickadees, and a pair of Stellar Jays visit our garden, so it’s working. Our property is humming with life from dawn to dusk like never before. Here are some of the herbs I grew in 2021 that attracted pollinators:
Lemon Balm
Bee Balm
Calendula
Nasturtium
Chamomile
Lavender
Chive
Borage
Dill
Sage (broadleaf, garden and honey melon)
Thyme (common and lemon)
Mint and Spearmint
Basil
Sweet Marjoram
How To Make Your Garden Pollinator-Friendly
1) Grow or plant flowers. Honeybees are most drawn to yellow, white and blue flowers. Moths prefer white or gray fragrant flowers (think moon garden.)
2) Plant an abundance of herbs, such as the ones listed above.
3) Eliminate use of pesticides that can harm and kill pollinators.
4) Plant "pollinator targets," which are large groupings of the same plant (or came color) that are more easily spotted from the air.
5) Remove rhododendrons and azaleas from the area, as they are toxic to bees.
In a matter of months, you can have a garden filled with flowers to share with your pollinators and some to cut and bring inside to be appreciated by those you love. If you are drawn to flowers and are interested in understanding their old world meanings, you may be interseted in the book I co-authored with Lisa McGuiness, called The Love Language of Flowers. It also includes step-by-step tutorials, a toolbox section filled with floral concepts, and over 30 botanical designs with meaning that honor the seasonal rhythms of nature, build confidence, and provide flexibility to let your own creative voice develop. It is truly an excellent resource for those seeking to grow their botanical creativity in a meaningful way.
I've created a list of my favorite gardening supplies and tools; the ones I use everyday in my garden and greenhouse. You can access my Garden Amazon List HERE. For heirloom quality gardening and foraging tools, I highly recommend the Barebones Living collection.
As you build your pollinator garden, or transition your current one, take time to appreciate each step of the gardening process, take notes, and spend time surrounded by what you've grown. Gardening is such a therapeutic and rewarding process. Happy growing, friends.
