The Dirt on Bee Gardens
The importance of bee gardens (or pollinator gardens as some refer to them), cannot be understated. Providing pollinators, which include bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, hummingbirds and bats, places to access the food, water and nutrients they need to survive can have a big impact on your local ecosystem. Due to habitat loss and pesticide use, native pollinators are under more stress than at any other time in history. They need people to step up to protect them in ways both big and small. And that’s where we come in!
Keep reading for a rundown on top ways to make a pretty pollinator garden, a process that will help you relax and commune with nature while helping the bugs, bees and butterflies in your neck of the woods (or the city) continue to do their work helping plants reproduce. And don’t worry if you’re short on outdoor space. We’ve got tips to attract garden pollinators no matter how limited your area – and your experience.
Placing Your Pollinator Garden
When it comes to where to put your pollinator gardens, the options abound. From front steps to back patios to backyards, just about any spot can work, though there are a few rules of thumb to take into consideration.
- Here Comes the Sun. Butterflies and bees are most active in sunlight and are especially drawn to wildflowers that grow in sunlight. Although you can still install some flowering plants in the shade, your typical garden pollinator will be more attracted to anything that keeps them warm in the sunshine. (Honestly, who blames them?)
- Gimme Shelter. Wind can be very threatening for fragile bugs and birds. If you are able, consider a location for your bee garden that can also accommodate different types of shelter. Some of the most common are native grasses and perennials, trees, shrubs and even decaying piles of leaves and other yard debris. Many outdoor preservationists have taken to putting off the traditional “fall cleanup” until spring, leaving the dead stalks, branches and leaf piles to decompose naturally while providing a spot for pollinator eggs.
- Chasing Waterfalls. The last must-have for your pollinator garden location is easy access to water. Our bug and bee friends need the stuff to not just drink and take in nutrients but also to reproduce. If there aren’t any waterfalls in your outdoor spots, consider adding a bird bath, dripping bottle or even an entire water feature. Butterflies tend to flock towards “puddling areas,” which are essentially shallow pans or rocks filled with a mix of compost, sand and water. A simple bowl of pebbles with water on it resting in your garden will also do wonders for thirsty travelers.
Now that you know what your garden needs at its new location, scan your outdoor living areas for possible contenders. If you’re short on suitable real estate, decks and patios can also be made into petite pollinator stops for them to rest and refuel. Make the spot inviting by clearing out and pack away excess items you don’t need into a convenient self-storage unit, and then placing standing garden beds and water features in the sunniest areas.
Plants for Pollinators
One of the best aspects of a pollinator garden is that it doesn’t require anything particularly fancy. The best plants for pollinators vary by state and USDA hardiness zone, but one thing is always consistent: they must be organic and cultivated without the use of any sort of pesticide.
Speaking from personal experience, you’ll also have a lot better go of it if you choose plants for pollinators that are native to your geographic location. For ideas and advice, check out the incredible lists of pollinator-friendly native plants put together by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. You can filter by state to find the right list for your area.
The addition of native plants into your bee garden also helps the larger ecosystem. Native plants don’t require fertilizers and need substantially less water than their more exotic counterparts. In general, they’re much hardier and easier to maintain, with much better resistance to local weather. According to the Audubon Society, landscaping with native plants not only helps fight the impacts of climate change, but also provides vital habitats and shelter for birds, bugs, bees and butterflies. Win win!
While we can’t tell you exactly which plants you’ll have the most success with in your pollinator garden, there are a couple of good guidelines to be aware of:
- Different Strokes. Make sure your plants are varied. Buy plants of different heights, colors, fragrances, and even season to attract a number of different types of pollinators. Put taller plants towards the middle of your garden to make them easier to reach.
- Group ‘em Up. Clump together groups of five or more plants of the same type to create clusters, and make your garden look more intentional. Plan for one plant per square foot. Crowding them together will help cut down on weeds and retain moisture.
- Mulch Baby, Mulch. Use only a thin layer of natural mulch (avoid dyed mulch or chunky mulch). Make sure to pull it back from the stem of the plant by two to three inches. Mulch isn’t a blanket, and isn’t meant to warm plants up. In fact, any mulch next to a plant stem is actually really harmful to the plant, and can invite disease, rot, and even pests.
Small-Scale Bee Gardens
A beautiful and functional bee garden doesn’t need much space to thrive. If you’re big on ambition but short on outdoor square footage, don’t despair: there are plenty of ways to help pollinators and beautify your own balcony, patio or small garden space while you’re at it. Just make sure to clear any upcoming garden projects with your landlord if you’re renting and any downstairs neighbors if you’re in a high rise.
Here are some of our favorite tips for small space pollinator havens:
- Pull double duty by planting herbs (including dill, parsley, rosemary, and oregano) that both attract pollinators and add a little zest to your cooking.
- Put your plants for pollinators in various containers (the larger the better) with drainage holes and place them on fire escapes, patios or stoops.
- Place trellises or lattices against the sides of your house or balcony to encourage native vines, which are often a much-appreciated source of nectar and pollen.
- Provide water in the form of birdbaths with rocks and water for bees, puddling areas for butterflies, and traditional birdbaths for hummingbirds.
- Pack your gardening supplies away when the season is through at a nearby CubeSmart so they’re ready and waiting when you do it all again next year!
No matter their size or location, Pollinator gardens require a relatively small amount of labor (especially as they become more established), and provide an immeasurable benefit to the critters who help power our food supply chain. In a world full of asphalt, concrete, pesticides and pristine yards with every spare leaf or blade of grass sucked up and carted away, it’s important that we advocate for the survival of these small insects and animals through our own actions. Putting out a few native plants and some water may seem like such a small task as to be inconsequential. But nothing could be further from the truth.
As the great naturalist Elizabeth Lawrence wrote, “The hum of bees is the voice of the garden.” Invite them into your garden, and you’ll be amazed at the difference they make and the beauty they help create.
