Attract Bees and Other Pollinators to Your Garden
Planting a pollinator-friendly garden will have the added benefit of attracting local birds and insects, such as bees or butterflies.
When these creatures visit your yard to forage on nectar from flowers in your garden they also help to spread pollen between your plants and fertilize them!
This is beneficial for your plants and a great win-win situation. You help the garden, and the insects will also be attracted to any fruit that comes from your pollinator-friendly garden.
One of the easiest ways you can attract pollinators to your garden is by planting a variety of flowers that bloom at different times throughout the season. This will help ensure that there is always something for them to visit!
Here are a few of the plants that will bring pollinators to your garden:
How Does Pollination Happen?
Pollination is the process by which pollen, the male reproductive cells of flowers, are transferred to a plant’s female parts. This occurs when the pollen lands on an animal (insects, birds, or bats) and they carry it from flower to flower.
Ways To Attract Pollinators to Your Garden
There are several ways to attract pollinators into your garden. Some are simple, and some require a little planning ahead.
The best part about these tips is that they all offer multiple benefits for you and the environment! You help the plants in your yard grow, while also helping local wildlife thrive.
Here are three easy things you can do to help pollinators in your garden:
- Plant native flowers and shrubs that are appropriate to your region, so you can attract the local species of hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.
- If you have a garden with only one type of flower or shrub, try to work some diversity into your plant life by creating a habitat for natural pollinators like bumblebees and honey bees to visit. These insects help spread pollen between different varieties of flowers so they can all produce fruit.
- If you have space in your yard, consider adding a pollinator garden! This can be any size or shape that works best for you and is usually planted with multiple types of flowers to attract various species of butterflies, bees, birds, and bats.
Attracting Specific Pollinators Into Your Garden
Bees, butterflies, and birds are all pollinators. They help to provide the food that our plants need in order for them to grow! Attracting these animals will make your garden flourish!
Attracting Bees
Bees are essential for our food supply. They pollinate plants and flowers which in turn produce the fruits and vegetables that we eat. In fact, one-third of everything that we consume is dependent on bee pollination.
Yet bees are under threat from a variety of issues; making it increasingly important to do what you can to help these pollinators.
If you want some help attracting bees into your garden, then here are some great ways in which you can get started:
Attracting Butterflies
Butterflies are a great way to add color and movement to your garden. They can also be very beneficial for the plants in your yard, providing them with nutrients that help them grow better.
In addition, butterflies will pollinate many of the flowers in your garden which will provide you with more fruits and vegetables than if they were not there.
If you want some help attracting butterflies into your garden or just want to learn more about these wonderful creatures, then you may want to check out some of these posts:
Attracting Birds
A bird’s-eye view is a great way to see your garden.
Birds can also be beneficial for the plants in your yard, providing them with nutrients that help them grow better.
In addition, birds will pollinate many of the flowers in your garden which will provide you with more fruits and vegetables than if they were not there.
If you want some help attracting birds into your garden or just want to learn more about these wonderful creatures, then you may want to check out some of these posts:
What Else Helps With Pollination?
Bees, butterflies, and birds are among the most common species that play a role in pollination. However, this is far from all of them! Some other animals that you would never expect to help out with pollination are also vital in the process:
- Bats
- Flies
- Wasps
- Beetles
- Moths
The Benefits of Planting a Pollinator-Friendly Garden
There are so many benefits to planting a pollinator-friendly garden. You will be supporting local wildlife as well as the environment!
Benefits For The Local Wildlife:
- Will increase your chances of attracting frogs, birds, and butterflies, all of which contribute to the health and diversity of your garden.
- Helps to control unwanted pests.
- Provides nourishment for our feathered friends and their offspring-all of which we love to admire!
Benefits For Your Garden:
- Creates a microclimate that is favorable for plants, especially if you use native plants, as well as beneficial fungi and microbes.
- Improves the soil and helps retain water in your garden by beginning a natural cycle of nutrients for plants.
- Increases the number of insects available to pollinate your flowers, leading to better fruit yield or potentially higher yields than otherwise possible.
- Helps prevent soil erosion and provides a natural barrier to harsh weather.
- Makes your garden more appealing to humans!
The pollinator garden is a valuable asset for any property. It not only helps to beautify your space, but it also provides great benefits for the environment and local wildlife.
