plants for pollinators
“MANY
PERENNIALS
and shrubs produce
blossoms rich in
nectar, and those
with clusters of
small florets offer
a feast for bees.”
OREGANO (ORIGANUM
VULGARE) is a popular perennial
herb. It is easy to grow and draws
large gangs of buzzing bees as
well as some hummingbirds.
Equally bee-friendly are parsley,
sage, thyme, and marjoram. These
tasty herbs all thrive on neglect and
each spring rise from the dead by
Easter.
YARROW (ACHILLEA MILLEFO-
LIUM) produces clusters of tiny
flowers in original white or newer
shades like pink and gold. It thrives
on neglect. As with self-propagating
and bee-positive feverfew, traditional
herbalists used teas made of this herb
to treat colds and fevers.
LAVENDERS (LAVANDULA SP.), both English
and French, prefer dry summers. They
are beautiful, fragrant, need only an occa-
sional drink in dry weather, and have a long
list of traditional uses thanks to their antibi-
otic compounds. Green algal scum vanishes
without chemicals when you cut and tie a
bundle of stems, and then toss it in a pond,
aquarium, or water feature.
ROSEMARY (ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS) likes
sun and well-drained soil, and it lends itself to
being grown in a pot as a bonsai that attracts bees
from far and wide. Given space, rosemary forms a
large woody bush with bunches of bee-attracting
purple flowers in summer. A friend claims rosemary
oil treats just about any skin problem and is as good
as tea tree oil for treating the herpes virus that causes
a cold sore.
Depending on where you garden, hundreds more
pollinator-friendly and very attractive plants can bring
in large numbers of useful critters eager to boost your
production. The plants can also increase your quality of life.
Their culinary, medicinal, and aesthetic value are simply
too great to ignore. Start with tiny plants or seed packets in
spring, then stand back and let nature go to work.
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grow cycle