Gardening Garden Design Nature Lovers' Gardening How to Create a Pretty Pollinator Garden for Butterflies and Bees Welcome all kinds of beneficial wildlife to your yard—and enjoy a gorgeous landscape—with these tips on how to plant a pollinator garden. By Andrea Beck Andrea Beck Andrea Beck served as garden editor at BHG and her work has appeared on Food & Wine, Martha Stewart, MyRecipes, and more. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on August 22, 2023 Fact checked by Marcus Reeves Fact checked by Marcus Reeves Marcus Reeves is an experienced writer, publisher, and fact-checker. He began his writing career reporting for The Source magazine. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Playboy, The Washington Post, and Rolling Stone, among other publications. His book Somebody Scream: Rap Music's Rise to Prominence in the Aftershock of Black Power was nominated for a Zora Neale Hurston Award. He is an adjunct instructor at New York University, where he teaches writing and communications. Marcus received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Learn about BHG's Fact Checking Process One of the best things about gardening is bringing beneficial wildlife to your yard, especially pollinators. Bees and butterflies may first come to mind, but many other insects, such as moths, wasps, and beetles, also help plants make fruits and seeds by transferring pollen from flower to flower. Most of these creatures don't sting, so you don't need to worry about that when welcoming nature into your garden (if you're allergic to stings, you need to be more careful). However, not just any plant will attract pollinators to your yard; you need to include species with plenty of nectar-rich flowers. The more you know about how to make a pollinator garden, the more you'll be able to enjoy butterflies and other fascinating insects. BHG / Kelli Jo Emanuel Best Types of Plants for a Pollinator Garden Besides perennials and annuals, many vines, shrubs, and trees produce flowers that draw pollinators. Plants with brightly colored flowers, usually oranges, reds, and yellows, seem most attractive to bees and other flying insects. Some of the best flowers for attracting wildlife to pollinator gardens are open or flat, allowing for easier access to pollen and nectar. To start learning how to make a pollinator garden, look for these plants to add to your landscaping. They're known for being extremely attractive to all kinds of pollinators. 01 of 04 Black-Eyed Susan Perry Struse Plant a pool of bright yellow in your garden with black-eyed Susan. The beautiful blooms on these flowers bring plenty of pollinators to your garden. These native plants are also drought-resistant, making them easy to care for. There are several varieties of black-eyed Susan, so you'll have plenty of choices when looking for the perfect ones to fit into your landscape. Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 4 feet tall, depending on variety Zones: 3-8 02 of 04 Butterfly Bush Marty Baldwin As the name indicates, butterflies of all kinds visit this plant, and hummingbirds love it, too. Butterfly bush has a sweet scent that attracts pollinators near and far. However, this plant is considered an invasive plant in warmer parts of the country, so check if it's a problem plant in your area before planting it. Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 6 feet tall Zones: 5-9 03 of 04 Coneflower BHG / Kelli Jo Emanuel Purple coneflower is a prairie native that attracts bees and other insects that pollinate. These shuttlecock-shaped flowers tend to be purplish pink, but newer varieties have expanded the palette to yellow, orange, burgundy, and cream. Make sure not to choose double types because these aren't as useful to pollinators. Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 3-9 This Bird and Butterfly Garden Plan Brims with Pollinator Favorites 04 of 04 Yarrow Marty Baldwin Yarrow is an easy-to-grow favorite that will add a wildflower look to your pollinator garden. Use yarrow as a groundcover or along borders to bring pollinating bees to your space. It's important to deadhead spent flowers for the plant rebloom, but if you don't want to deadhead yarrow, you can leave the dried blooms on the plant for winter interest. Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 3-10 Pollinator Garden Planting Tips Helping out your local pollinators is about more than just the plants you choose. Follow these tips to maximize your garden's support of these essential insects. Arrange Pollinator Plants in Groups Plant at least three to five types of pollinator plants together, layering them throughout the garden. You'll get beautiful drifts of color, plus insects will more easily be able to gather the food they need from them. Keep Blooms Deadheaded Freshly opened flowers have the most nectar and pollen. If you remove withered, faded blooms, the plants often will produce even more new flowers to keep the pollinators coming. Try a Container Another way to create a pollinator garden is to plant one in a container. Be sure the plants you're putting together in pots have similar care needs. Top Butterfly Container Garden Ideas Don't Use Pesticides Skip using insecticides because though they often kill pests, they can also kill insects you want to have around. To control plant-eating bugs, try using a strong jet of water from your hose to knock them off or hand-picking them off instead. Add Water Another thing that pollinators need is a water source, such as a birdbath. Put a small pebble or stone in your birdbath to give insects a spot to safely perch and sip. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Better Homes & Gardens is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources—including peer-reviewed studies—to support the facts in our articles. Read about our editorial policies and standards to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. "Bee Stings: Is it an Allergic Reaction?" National Capital Poison Center "Rudbeckia Hirta." North Carolina State Extension. "Buddleja Davidii." North Carolina State Extension.