Preparing for Pollinators in Spring Gardens

by Toni Leland

The news hasn't been good about our pollinators. Insecticides, herbicides, and destruction of habitat are among the culprits that destroy or reduce our bee and butterfly populations.

According to The Xerces Society, "Nearly 75% of all plants on earth require animals for pollination." That's a big responsibility for those creatures we have around us and possibly take for granted.

Columbine

What can we do right now?

Plant spring-blooming flowers in your landscape, especially if there are no fruit trees or early shrubs. Some good suggestions are:

• Columbine
• California poppies
• Sweet alyssum
• Larkspur
• Bachelors' buttons
• Clarkia
• Cerinthe
• Cilantro
• Lenten rose

Plant containers with pansies, primroses, hyacinths, tulips, and daffodils and place them strategically in sheltered spots in your garden.

Primrose

These plants "...will sustain bumblebees, miner bees, and other native pollinators until the summer nectar and pollen sources become plentiful."

Information and inspiration for this post courtesy ezfromseed.org