Each year, the pollinator population gets smaller and smaller. We carelessly spray chemicals to kill the pests we don’t want and inadvertently kill some of the ones we do want. However, it is within our power to help rebuild the pollinator population. By planting attractants, we provide food and nutrition for the next generation of pollinators.
Some of the best attractants are perennial and native flowers such as coneflower, mountain mint, daisy, and tickseed. Designate one area of your yard to these types of flowers and add a shallow birdbath, because, just like you, they need water too.
Any flower that produces pollen will be utilized by the pollinators. However, some are better than others. Below is a list of some of the best attractants:
- sunflowers
- goldenrod
- verbena
- snapdragons
- mountain mint
- cosmos
- zinnia
- milkweed
- bee balm
As you plan your pollinator garden, use the opportunity to teach your children about the importance of pollinators in the ecosystem. instill in them the desire to preserve and protect the environment and all that keeps it in balance. Bees and butterflies are essential to our gardens.
