By their nature, gardens encourage a lot of activity, but that activity shouldn’t be limited to the gardeners who do the planting, weeding and watering. Bees should be buzzing, butterflies floating and hummingbirds should be darting from bloom to bloom. If you want to create a hubbub in your garden, choose flowering plants that provide nectar and pollen from early spring to first frost. Here are five delicious ways to invite winged wildlife to your backyard:
1. Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
The showy lavender blooms of wild bergamot grow on tall stems and serve as a blooming magnet for bees and butterflies. A member of the mint family, the native Monarda is a perennial wildflower that grows 4 feet tall and is adaptable to all kinds of garden soils and conditions.
2. Dwarf English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Bees love the dark lavender, fragrant flowers of this dwarf English lavender. A versatile perennial, this form grows 12-15 inches tall and looks good planted along borders or mixed into cottage or formal gardens. Lavender enjoys a well-drained soil and requires only occasional watering once established. Hardy to Zone 5.
3. Sunset hyssop (Agastache rupestris)
A reliable perennial with a licorice scent, the sunset hyssop attracts hummingbirds and butterflies alike. Its orange tube-shaped flowers begin blooming in mid-summer and continue late into fall. The plant grows to 2 feet tall with an upright habit and finely textured foliage. Sunset hyssop enjoys full sun to part shade, is adaptable to a variety of soils and requires moderate to low amounts of water.
4. Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Butterflies are attracted to the nectar of this variety of milkweed. The plant also serves as food for the caterpillars of Monarch butterflies. Butterfly weed is a native perennial that grows in clumps 1-3 feet tall and forms clusters of long-blooming orange flowers. It prefers a sunny location with well-drained soil.
5. Blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata)
Bees and butterflies are drawn to this colorful native perennial with its brilliant red flowers edged in yellow. “Arizona Sun” is an especially nice selection because it blooms earlier than most. A dry-soil lover, blanketflower can grow to 2 feet tall and blooms from May into September. The large blooms make a long-lasting cut flower too.
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