7 Ways to Attract Pollinators to Your Garden

On Posted on by Rachel Graf to Garden, Lifestyle
A thriving garden needs more than just healthy soil, water and sunshine. Pollinators like buzzing bees, birds and butterflies are essential to the life cycle of all flowering plants, from those in your own backyard garden plot to sprawling farms across the country. In fact, pollination contributes to a third of the world’s crop production, meaning pollinators are directly responsible for about one in every three bites of food you eat every day.

No matter how big or small your garden, finding ways to welcome pollinators can help you cultivate a more eco-friendly landscape by supporting pollinator populations. In return, those pollinators will help your plants thrive and grow a healthy crop. Scroll through the slideshow to learn how to attract pollinators year-round with these seven easy-to-implement ideas.

pollinator in garden
Photo credit: iStock/Jill_InspiredByDesign

1. Add more native plants

Try to incorporate at least a few plants native to the United States (or even better, to your region) into your garden. Native plants are better adapted to the local climate and less prone to diseases and pests than nonnatives. They’re also more attractive to pollinators in the area. Because native plants co-evolved alongside native pollinators (providing birds, bees and butterflies with the nectar, seeds and pollen that serve as food), they have a well-established symbiotic relationship. Nonnative plants, on the other hand, may not provide enough nectar or pollen or may be inedible altogether for some pollinator species.

Not sure which plants to choose? The National Wildlife Federation has a convenient Native Plant Finder that allows you to search for plants by zip code and plant category.

See more: 9 Fascinating Facts About Honeybees

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