Plants for Bees & Butterflies
Our gardens play a critical role in the survival of bees, butterflies and other important pollinators. These insects, in turn, enliven our surroundings, pollinate our crops and most of the plants around us, connecting us to the natural world as they go about their lives. You can attract a variety of these winged creatures to your garden by providing lots of flowers (for nectar and pollen) and larval food plants (to feed the caterpillars that turn into butterflies). The ideal scenario is to have at least 3 kinds of flowers in bloom throughout the entire growing season (with special attention to the earliest and latest bloomers), a goal that is a pleasure to pursue.
The plants and collections we are highlighting here are some of the best sources of food for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. They don’t stint on providing beauty and color for human admirers either. Scroll through the individual selections here or select plants by genus in the Search Bar on our home page for more choices.
If you'd like to learn more, certain plants, referred to as Keystone Plants, play an outsize role in supporting pollinators.
