I don’t just plant flowers for color; I’m absolutely entranced by the pollinators! Pollinators are the lifeblood of our ecosystems. Have you ever thought about how something as tiny as a bee or butterfly can have such a profound impact? It’s a humbling reminder of the delicate balance in nature. By creating a garden that supports them, you’re not just beautifying your space—you’re making a meaningful contribution to ecological health.

Many pollinator-friendly flowers are also stunning, adding splashes of color and life to your space. By planting native flowers, colorful annuals and host plants, you provide essential habitats and food sources for these pollinators, ensuring they can continue their crucial work.

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Top Plants for Pollinators

Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

If you only plant one thing in your pollinator garden, make it milkweed. I prefer Butterfly milkweed, also known as Asclepias tuberosa, because it’s easier to catch before it goes to seed (milkweed can take over if you don’t get to the seed pods before they burst). This is a monarch host plant, which means it’s one of the few plants on which they lay their eggs. If you’ve never watched a monarch go from tiny egg to caterpillar to cocoon to butterfly, you have missed out on one of the most awe-inspiring cycles in nature. The bright orange blooms not only add a splash of color. I can (and do) spend hours out at my milkweed watching the monarch life cycle. Milkweed is easy to grow and drought-tolerant. Its deep roots help stabilize soil, contributing to a healthier garden ecosystem. Although you can buy plants, I’ve found that seed-started milkweed performs much better.

Host Herbs: Dill (Anethum graveolens) and Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

Many who are designing pollinator gardens forget about incorporating host herbs like dill (Anethum graveolens) and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare). Although not as showy, these herbs are beautiful as well as purposeful. Fennel produces large, umbrella-like clusters of tiny yellow flowers that are not only visually striking but also serve as a magnet for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. I’ve had the most luck with my bronze fennel that is currently covered by over 30 swallowtail caterpillars!

Catmint (Nepeta)

Catmint, or Nepeta, is another native that attracts a variety of smaller butterfly species. It’s actually a perennial herb, but it turns into a beautiful shrub-like flowering mound that produces clusters of lavender-blue flowers. My bees absolutely love my catmint! Its long blooming period, all the way from late spring to early fall, makes it a good choice for garden color. Besides its attractiveness to pollinators, catmint is known for its aromatic foliage and resilience, making it a low-maintenance option for gardeners. This is another (like so many host and native plants) that is easy to grow. I’ve ignored my catmint for weeks during the hottest summer days before noticing the slightest drooping when it needs some water.

Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)

Blanket flower, or Gaillardia, is host to my favorite smaller butterfly, the buckeye. Its bright, daisy-like flowers feature bold hues of red, orange, and yellow, which are particularly attractive to butterflies and bees. Another resilient native, they are drought-tolerant and low-maintenance. My only hesitation with blanket flower is that, although labeled a perennial in my area, they never come back after winter for me. Their seeds are easy to collect, though, and they are fairly fast producing, so I still grow them.

Blazing Star (Liatris)

Blazing star, known scientifically as Liatris, is a new flower in my pollinator garden. I noticed some of it in a neighbor’s yard and knew those tall, spiky lavender and purple blooms needed to be in my garden! I love the orange/purple color combination, and this purple is so vibrant next to my milkweed. The height and multiple blooms add some texture to my garden as well. It performs best in full sun, making it a perfect choice for sunny garden spots. With a blooming period that spans midsummer to early fall, blazing star provides a prolonged nectar source, supporting pollinators through critical months.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

If you have a black thumb, Yarrow, or Achillea millefolium, should be your #1 pollinator garden pick. My next door neighbor isn’t much of a plant person, and I watch so many of her gardening attempts die a slow, painful death, but the yarrow continues to thrive over there! I think it’s the lack of water needs – it’s like the camel of the pollinator garden. It comes in shades of white, yellow, pink, and red, so you can certainly find the color to complement your preferred garden color pallet. Not only known for producing beautiful flower clusters, it’s cool boho feathery leaves provide texture and depth.

Coneflower (Echinacea)

Coneflower, or Echinacea, is probably my favorite non-host plant. Known for its large flowers with prominent central cones, coneflowers come in shades of purple, pink, and white – with that beautiful orange or yellow ombre center. Their drought tolerance makes them a great choice for low-maintenance gardens. Blooming from midsummer to fall, coneflowers provide a continuous nectar source during the peak pollinator season. Additionally, their seed heads offer food for birds in the late fall and winter. I love watching the goldfinches enjoying spent coneflower seeds. Luckily, there are plenty to go around, so I pick some for myself to plant the following year or to share with friends.

Bee Balm (Monarda)

I’ll be honest – Bee balm, scientifically known as Monarda, is last on my list for a reason. I have a love/hate relationship with this plant. I love that it blooms earlier in the season, giving me my fix of summer color in spring. I love that the flowers are so vibrant and plentiful! And I love that the bees and butterflies flock to it. What I don’t love is that it tends to mildew easier than other pollinators. It also has an unreliable growing pattern, some in my yard bunching together almost shrub like and other patches spread out more like zinnia batches. Also not my favorite are the tall stalks that make it prime for my three dogs to destroy when running to bark passersby – I’m endlessly pulling up flat lay bee balm. I will say that my mom loves it and has offered to steal all of mine should I give it to the frustration and pull it all up, so it’s a personal preference.

Tips for creating a pollinator haven

• Mix Textures and Colors: as with bouquets, a garden is most interesting (to you AND the pollinators) with a variety of plants and flowers
• Consider Height and Spread: make sure you read that plant tag and do research so you understand what the full grown plant will look like. (that bee balm from above starts out as a dainty one flower plant but spreads very quickly).
• Don’t fertilize like your other flowering plants – these plants are native, which means they thrive on neglect. Fertilizing weekly will actually slow their growth, but one slow release fertilizer like this at the beginning of the season is beneficial.
• Remember the goal: if you are planting a pollinator garden, be prepared for what that means. You will have bees and caterpillars and likely lots of aphid varieties working together to make the most of what you provided for them. They will be “destroying” your plants to further their life cycle – and that’s the goal! Avoid chemicals that could harm them and learn to enjoy the magic of pollinators. Check out the miracle of the monarch life cycle here.