Maximum Yield Australia/New Zealand July/August 2020 | Page 31

“By following a few guidelines, we can be sure we are making a significant difference in our quest to save the pollinators.” Since different pollinators are attracted to different types of plants, you’ll want to include a variety of flowers that specifically attract bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. Plants that attract bees include basil, bee balm, borage, cosmos, geraniums, giant hyssops, lavender, lupines, mint, poppies, rosemary, sage, sunflowers, thyme, wild roses, zinnias, apples, cherries, pears, plums, raspberries, strawberries, and willows. Hummingbirds prefer bee balm, begonias, bleeding hearts, butterfly weed, cannas, columbines, dahlias, delphinium, foxglove, fuschias, geraniums, hollyhocks, impatiens, irises, lilies, lupines, nasturtiums, petunias, sage, salvia, and zinnias. Butterflies love bee balm, calendula, cosmos, delphiniums, dianthus, hollyhocks, lavender, marigolds, nasturtiums, oregano, sage, shasta daisies, yarrow, and zinnias. Butterfly larvae, or caterpillars, have their own preferences, which include borage, hollyhocks, milkweed, thistles, and willows. Now that you have an idea of what to include in your pollinator-friendly garden, let’s go over my top 10 favourites in a little more depth. Top Ten Plants for Pollinators If you are having a hard time deciding what to include in your garden this year, here are my top 10 favourite plants for pollinators. These add beauty and functionality to your garden and help to create a diverse and thriving ecosystem. Sunflowers are one of my all-time favourites and I look forward to their blooms every year. There are many different varieties. Some grow more than 2.5 metres tall and move to face the sun as it moves. Others have multiple heads per stalk that bloom in a beautiful succession. The birds and bees love them, and we love snacking on their edible seeds. Maximum Yield 31