Pollinator Friendly Garden Tips | Minnesota

Plant Pollinator-Friendly Flowers

Choose a variety of native flowers that bloom throughout the season to provide nectar and pollen for pollinators.

PERRENIALS
For butterflies: Yarrow, Coneflower, Phlox
For bees: Daisy, Aster, Salvia
For hummingbirds: Lilly, Lilac, Azalea

ANNUALS
For butterflies: Zinnia, Aster, Dill
For bees: Dahlia, Sunflower, Lavender
For hummingbirds: Snapdragon, Monkey Flower, Fuchsia

For planting guides check out the Planting Guides at the Pollinator Partnership.

Create Habitat Diversity

Pollinators need more than just flowers to thrive. Incorporate diverse elements into your landscape, such as shrubs, trees, and even a small water feature, to provide shelter, nesting sites, and drinking spots for pollinators.

For more tips on creating a pollinator-friendly landscape, visit the UMN Extension, or ask your Southview design landscape architect or designer to help you!

Avoid Pesticides and Chemicals

Say no to pesticides and herbicides that can harm pollinators and other beneficial insects. Embrace organic gardening practices and explore natural alternatives to manage pests and weeds in your garden.

Maintain A Water Source

Set up a shallow dish filled with water and add some pebbles or floating cork pieces to provide a safe landing spot for pollinators to drink without the risk of drowning.

Consider a Nesting Box

Install nesting boxes for solitary bees and butterflies to lay eggs and raise their young. You can easily create nesting sites by drilling holes of various sizes into wooden blocks or placing bundles of hollow stems in your garden.

Control Invasive Plant Species

Invasive species can disrupt pollinator-plant relationships by outcompeting native plants for resources, altering habitats, and introducing novel diseases or predators, thereby threatening the survival of pollinator populations and compromising ecosystem health.