What is a Pollinator Garden?
A pollinator garden is a garden that has been designed with local flowering plants that are beneficial for local bees, butterflies and insects that feed on them. You can tailor your garden to attract and support specific pollinators, such as the beautiful Monarch Butterfly or endangered Rusty-patched Bumblebee.
While native flowers aren't the only plants that can bring sustenance to native bees, often bees and plants have evolved to work specifically with each other. Some bees can not interact with plants with which they did not co-evolve, such as the squash bee, pictured here.
Below are simple tips for setting up a garden; sample garden templates; planting guides for Canada's eco-regions; and a selection of gorgeous native plants.
While native flowers aren't the only plants that can bring sustenance to native bees, often bees and plants have evolved to work specifically with each other. Some bees can not interact with plants with which they did not co-evolve, such as the squash bee, pictured here.
Below are simple tips for setting up a garden; sample garden templates; planting guides for Canada's eco-regions; and a selection of gorgeous native plants.
Simple Ways to Help Our Bee Friends
- Plant local wildflowers and herbs such as lavender, mint and thyme –
- In whole meadows, if you have the space
- As strips of meadows in the lawn
- In raised beds and flower boxes lining wide walks and driveways
- In flowerpots on landings, balconies and windowsills
- Build nesting aids, such as insect hotels
- Create bare patches of sandy soil for ground-nesting bees
- Don’t be too tidy in the garden: leave around some fallen logs and dead plant stems after winter is past
- encourage community members to do the same at home and in their neighbourhoods
- Get educated about insecticides deadly to bees and organize a lobby day (perhaps together with other faith communities!) to talk to your local politicians
Pollinator Garden Templates
For more in-depth ideas and resources, check out our garden design templates! They come complete with
- a description of the design
- plant suggestions, including height, width, color, preferred light and soil conditions, and pollinators they support
- a map of the design
- a maintenance schedule
- pricing
- Balcony or small space garden design by Michelle Lee
- Rooftop garden design by Emily Qin
- Sunny and partial shade garden design by Olivia Kreutzer
- Shady spot garden design by Kezia Wei
Planting Guides for Canada's Eco-Regions
When planting for wild pollinators, it's important to realize that some bee (and other) species begin their flight season in the early spring; some, later. Some species forage all summer long; many don't. To best support our wild pollinator friends, we therefore want to create gardens with flowers that bloom throughout the collective flight season – from early spring through the autumn.
Please check out the three attached guides to help you in planting native flowers and shrubs that support wild bees, hoverflies, and butterflies from early spring to late autumn.
Please check out the three attached guides to help you in planting native flowers and shrubs that support wild bees, hoverflies, and butterflies from early spring to late autumn.
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Ontario and Quebec – for Great Lakes–St. Lawrence and Mixed-wood Plains eco‑regions
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British Columbia Coast – for the Pacific Maritime eco-region and Coastal Douglas-fir zone
Canadian Prairies – for Prairie and Aspen Parkland eco-regions
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What a Head-Turner! The Beauty of Native Plants
Below are some pollinator-friendly plants native to Canada, especially southern Ontario. Local pollinators, having co-evolved with local plants, often cannot feed from exotic plants. But why plant exotic plants when native plants are so stunningly beautiful and feed local pollinators?
Spring to early summer blossoming:
Spring to early summer blossoming:
Early to late summer blossoming:
Late summer to fall blossoming:
Consider also some grasses that pollinators can nest in:
And even if you don't have a lot of space, container gardens with herbs or small plants can be enjoyed by you, and our smaller neighbours!
