This small but mighty garden highlights how a garden can support a healthy ecosystem while highlighting stunning floral displays throughout the spring, summer, and even autumn! The plants selected for this garden have been chosen to support a robust team of pollinators like butterflies, bees, and moths. These gardens also support pollinators that are often forgotten including flies, beetles ants, and even wasps! The garden is designed to showcase the beauty of native plants.
This garden supports pollinators by creating healthy habitats, acting as host plants for caterpillars, and providing sources of nectar for pollinating insects. In the winter, the plant stems are left standing in order to provide safe havens for overwintering insects. Supporting pollinators has become even more important as we see declines in pollinator populations due to climate change and habitat loss. You can help make a difference by planting some of these flowers in your garden, on your balcony, or in a community garden!
Highlights
- Eastern columbine (Aquilegia canadensis): The elongated spurs (hollow extension of the flower) produce nectar and attract pollinators like ruby-throated hummingbirds that are able to access the hidden deposits.
- Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea): Large flowerhead acts as a landing pad for pollinators and birds love eating the seeds from spent flowers.
- Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata): Don’t let the not-so-pretty name fool you! Swamp milkweed brings beautiful colour to the garden, attracts pollinators, and acts as an important host plant for monarch butterflies.
- Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium): Grasses and sedges are a great addition to a pollinator garden as they provide important food and shelter for caterpillars.
- Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis): Don’t forget the trees! Trees provide important sources of nectar – especially those like the Eastern Redbud that bloom early in the season before most wildflowers!
Pollinator Garden Plant List
Grasses
- Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Standing Ovation’ (Little Bluestem) – Grass, Ornamental
Spring
- Amelanchier (Serviceberry) – Woody, White
- Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern Columbine) – Herbaceous, Yellow/Red
- Cercis canadensis (Eastern Redbud) – Woody, White
- Polygonatum biflorum (Smooth Solomon’s-seal) – Herbaceous, White
- Tiarella cordifolia (Foam Flower) – Herbaceous, White
- Tiarella x ‘Cutting Edge’ (Foam Flower) – Herbaceous, White
Late Spring
- Digitalis hybrida ‘Arctic Fox Rose’ (Foxglove) – Herbaceous, Rose
- Nectaroscordum siculum (Sicilian Honey Garlic) – Herbaceous, Pink, White, Green
- Nepeta subsessilis ‘Blue Prelude’ (Short-stalked Catmint) – Herbaceous, Blue
- Penstemon barbatus ‘Rock Candy – Ruby’ (Southwestern Penstemon) – Herbaceous, Red
- Salvia nemerosa ‘Blue by You’ (Woodland Sage) – Herbaceous, Blue
- Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Cabernet Splash’ (Highbush Blueberry) – Woody, White
- Veronica longifolia ‘Skyward Pink/Blue’ (Long-leaf Speedwell) – Herbaceous, Blue
- Viburnum cassinoides ‘Lil Ditty’ (Witherod Viburnum) – Woody, White
- Viburnum dentatum ‘Blue Muffin’ (Arrowwood Viburnum) – Woody, White
- Zizia aurea (Golden Alexander) – Herbaceous, Yellow
Early Summer
- Amsonia tabernaemontana (Blue Star) – Herbaceous, Blue
- Baptisia spp. (False Indigo) – Herbaceous, Various Colors
- Heuchera x villosa ‘Big Top Caramel Apple’ (Hairy Alumroot) – Herbaceous, White
- Oenothera missouriensis (Ozark Sundrop) – Herbaceous, Yellow
- Tradescantia ohiensis (Ohio Spiderwort) – Herbaceous, Blue
- Verbena canadensis ‘Homestead Purple’ (Purple Verbena) – Herbaceous, Purple
Summer
- Agastache rugosa ‘Little Adder’ (Korean Mint) – Herbaceous, Blue
- Asclepias incarnata (Swamp Milkweed) – Herbaceous, Rose
- Buddleia davidii ‘Monarch Prince Charming’ (Butterfly Bush) – Woody, Deep Pink
- Cephalanthus occidentalis ‘Sugar Shack’ (Buttonbush) – Woody, White
- Diervilla sessilifolia ‘Cool Splash’ (Southern Bush Honeysuckle) – Woody, Yellow
- Gaura lindheimeri ‘Gaudi Red’ (White Gaura) – Herbaceous, Deep Pink
- Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Pee Wee’ (Oakleaf Hydrangea) – Woody, White
- Hypericum kalmianum ‘Blues Festival’ (Kalm St. John’s Wort) – Woody, Yellow
- Itea virginica ‘Little Henry’ (Virginia Sweetspire) – Woody, White
- Liatris cylindracea (Ontario Blazing Star) – Herbaceous, Pinkish
- Liatris spicata (Dense Blazing Star) – Herbaceous, Pink
- Monarda didyma ‘Bee Mine Lavender’ (Scarlet Beebalm) – Herbaceous, Lavender
- Monarda didyma ‘Jacob Cline’ (Scarlet Beebalm) – Herbaceous, Red
- Nepeta faassenii (Cat Mint) – Herbaceous, Pale Blue
- Oenothera berlandieri (Berlandier’s Sundrops) – Herbaceous, Pink
- Oenothera fruticosa ‘Fireworks’ (Narrow-leaved Sundrops) – Herbaceous, Yellow
- Phlox paniculata (Garden Phlox) – Herbaceous, Pinks, Whites, Purple
- Rudbeckia fulgida (Black-eyed Susan) – Herbaceous, Yellow
- Rudbeckia triloba/subtomentosa (Brown-eyed Susan) – Herbaceous, Yellow
- Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) – Herbaceous, Pinkish
Late Summer
- Clethra alnifolia ‘Ruby Spice’ (Summersweet) – Woody, Rose Pink
- Clethra alnifolia ‘Vanilla Spice’ (Summersweet) – Woody, White
- Eupatorium dubium ‘Little Joe’ (Coastal Plain Joe Pye Weed) – Herbaceous, Pink
- Phlox paniculata ‘Ka-pow’ (Garden Phlox) – Herbaceous, Pink/Purple
- Solidago ohioensis (Ohio Goldenrod) – Herbaceous, Yellow
- Solidago rigida (Stiff Goldenrod) – Herbaceous, Yellow
Summer-Fall
- Helianthus divaricatus (Woodland Sunflower) – Herbaceous, Yellow
- Hydrangea arborescens ‘Haas Halo’ (Smooth Hydrangea) – Woody, White
- Solidago flexicaulis (Zigzag Goldenrod) – Herbaceous, Yellow
- Solidago rugosa (Rough Goldenrod) – Herbaceous, Yellow
- Vernonia spp. (Ironweed) – Herbaceous, Purple
Fall
- Heptacodium miconioides ‘Temple of Bloom’ (Seven Son Flower) – Woody, White
- Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (New England Aster) – Herbaceous, Purple/Pink
- Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘October Skies’ (Aromatic Aster) – Herbaceous, Dark Sky Blue
*Plants highlighted are non-native
*Updated on Nov 7, 2022
This garden was generously supported by PollinateTO
