Pollinator Garden

What is pollination?
Pollination is the means by which plants produce seeds. It occurs when pollen grains from a flower’s male parts (anthers) are transported to the female part (stigma) of the same species. Most plants cannot set seed without being pollinated. While wind and water can also move pollen, most plants depend on pollinators to transport pollen.
Plants produce scents and/or nectar to attract pollinators. As pollinators collect nectar from one flower, some of the pollen grains attach to their legs, abdomen, and/or other body parts. When the pollinator moves to the next flower, the pollen grains are likewise transported, some of which are then deposited in that flower.

Who are our pollinators?
Pollinators are more than bees, butterflies and birds. They are all of the animals that move pollen between flowers, including moths, wasps, flies, beetles, and some bats.
What Can you Do for Pollinators?
- Provide a wildflower-rich habitat in a sunny spot
- Use native plants which are often the best sources of nectar and pollen for native pollinators and can serve also as larval host plants
- Choose a variety of colors and shapes to attract a range of pollinators
- Choose plants with bloom times from early spring to late fall
- Plant in clumps rather than singly
- Combine annuals and perennials
- Create habitat for nesting, resting, egg-laying and larval food
- Keep some fallen branches and brush in places in your garden
- Provide small patches of bare ground
- Avoid pesticides and herbicides. Herbicides, while normally not directly lethal to insects, can reduce plant diversity and thus essential pollen and nectar for pollinators.
- Provide a water source. Butterflies often congregate on wet sand or mud to drink water and extract minerals from the damp puddles. Many people are familiar with birdbaths, but remember to give birds, as well as bees and other insects, a landing pad so that they can drink the water from the bath.
Overview
The Pollinator Garden is planted with an assortment of both native and non-native shrubs and perennials. Plants chosen are known to be nectar and pollen sources for diversity of pollinators.

Why are pollinators important?
Pollinators are almost as important as sunlight, soil and water to the reproductive success of more than 75% of the world’s flowering plants. They play a key role in our ecosystem and are an essential link in agriculture. They also provide nutrition in the form of seeds and fruits for many wild animals, both large and small.
Where can you find additional information?
WSU's Creating a Hummingbird Garden
WNPS Chart on Pacific Northwest Plants and the Birds that Use Them
Butterfly Identification in Washington State
OSU Encouraging Beneficial Insects in Your Garden (PNW Pub 550)
XERCES Pollinator Plants: Maritime Northwest Region
Native plant resources for the Pacific Northwest
XERCES Farming for Pollinators
USDA Pollinator Activity Book for Children
North American Pollinator Protection Campaign What is Pollination and What is a Pollinator?
USDA Why is Pollination Important?
USFWS Plant a Pollinator Garden

Pollinator Garden Plant List
# | Botanical Name | Cultivar | Common Name | Pollinators | Bloom Time |
1 | Achillea millefolium | Common Yarrow | beneficial insects | summer-early fall | |
2 | Allium sphaerocephalon | Drumsticks | Purple Allium | bees, butterflies | summer |
3 | Alyssum wulfenianum | Golden Spring Alyssum | butterflies | early spring | |
4 | Antirrhinum majus | Sonnet Mix | Snapdragon | bees | late spring-fall |
5 | Aquilegia skinneri | Tequila Sunrise | Columbine | hummingbirds, butterflies | spring-early summer |
6 | Arbutus unedo compacta | Dwarf Strawberry tree | hummingbirds | fall-winter | |
7 | Astilbe chinensis | Maggie Daley | Maggie Daley False Spirea | bees, butterflies, moths, flies | summer |
8 | Borago officinalis | Borage | bees, syrphidflies | summer-fall | |
9 | Calendula officinalis | Calendula or Pot Marigold | butterflies | spring-fall | |
10 | Carex buchananii | Leatherleaf sedge | butterflies | spring-fall | |
11 | Crocosmia | crocosmiiflora | Monbretia | hummingbirds | late spring-early summer |
12 | Crocosmia | crocosmiiflora | Emily McKenzie | hummingbirds,butterfiles | late summer-fall |
13 | Digitalis purpurea | Foxglove | hummingbirds, bees | spsring-summer | |
14 | Fagus sylvatica | Purpurea | European Beech tree | spring | |
15 | Fuchsia magellanica var. gracilis | Aurea | Golden leaved Hardy Fuchsia | hummingbirds, bees | early summer-fall |
16 | Geranium sanguineum | Cranesbill geranium | bees | late spring-fall | |
17 | Gerbera jamesonii | Daisy | butterflies, bees | summer-fall | |
18 | Geum hybrid | Fireball | Giant avens | butterflies | summer-fall |
19 | Hakonechloa macra Sunflare | Blades of Glory | Japanese forest grass | spring | |
20 | Helleborus orientalis | Lenten Rose | bees, flies, hummingbirds | winter-early spring | |
21 | Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus | Daylily, yellow | hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, flies | summer | |
22 | Hemerocallis fulva | Daylily, orange | hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, flies | summer | |
23 | Hemerocallis | Frosty Beauty | Daylily, apricot | hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, flies | summer |
24 | Heuchera micrantha | Palace Purple | Coral bells | hummingbirds | late spring-early summer |
25 | Hylotelephium telephium | Dazzleberry | Stonecrop | hummingbirds | late summer-fall |
26 | Hylotelephium spectabile | Autumn Joy | Stonecrop | butterflies | late summer-fall |
27 | Iris | Blue iris | hummingbirds | late spring- early summer | |
28 | Kniphofia uvaria | Torch lily,yellow orange | hummingbirds, beetles | late spring-early summer | |
29 | Lavendula angustifolia | English Lavender | bees, butterflies | summer | |
30 | Lithodora diffusa | Gold 'N Sapphires | Sapphires Rock Seed | butterflies | spring-summer |
31 | Lobularia maritima | Sweet alyssum | bees, butterflies, hummingbirds | spring-late fall | |
32 | Meconopsis cambrica | Welsh poppy, yellow | bees | late spring-fall | |
33 | Narcissus pseudonarcissus | Daffodils | bees | early spring | |
34 | Nigella damascena | Love in the Mist | bees | spring | |
35 | Origanum vulgare | Aureum | Golden oregano | butterflies, bees | summer-fall |
36 | Papaver orientale | Oriental poppy | late spring- early summer | ||
37 | Petrosedum rupestre | Angelina | Jenny's stonecrop | bees | spring-summer |
38 | Perovskia atriplicafolia | Russian sage | bees, butterflies | late spring-summer | |
39 | Phlomis fruticosa | Shrubby Jerusalem sage | hummingbirds, bees | spring-summer | |
40 | Physocarpus opulifolius | Seward | Summer Wine Ninebark | butterflies, bees | late spring-early summer |
41 | Polygonatum | Solomon's Seal | bees | spring | |
42 | Primula | Sweetheart | Primrose, pink | bees | spring |
43 | Primula | Corporal Baxter | Primrose, double red | bees | spring |
44 | Salvia microphylla | Hot Lips | hummingbirds, bees, butterflies | late spring-summer | |
45 | Schizostylis coccinea | Crimson Flag Lily | bees | late summer-fall | |
46 | Sedum kamtschaticum | Stonecrop | bees | summer | |
47 | Sedum reflexum | Blue Stonecrop | Jenny's Stonecrop | bees | summer |
48 | Solidago rugosa | Goldenrod | bees | late summer-fall | |
49 | Spirea Japonica | Walbuma | Magic Carpet Spirea | butterflies | mid-late summer |
50 | Tulipa | Tulips | hummingbirds, bees, butterflies | spring |