By David Salman, High Country Gardens Chief Horticulturist
Pollinators are the pulse of the planet. To say pollination is an important process would be an understatement. Pollinators such as native bees, bumblebees, honey bees, butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds, need flowers for pollen and nectar to survive. The flowers need them, to help accomplish the pollination process that so the plants can propagate themselves. A healthy pollinator population means the area of the Earth on which they live is also healthy.
A large number of the Earth’s edible plants create their fruit and seeds with the help of pollinators moving pollen from plant to plant. We humans, along with the rest of the world’s animals, depend on this essential food cycle for our survival.
3 Pollinator Garden Essentials
As gardeners, we are involved in the pollination process even if we don’t think about it. And that’s because we love planting flowers! So when we plant an abundant garden or landscape and care for these plants in an organic environment, it provides for us humans too. This helps to complete the web of life.
To plan and plant a nectar garden for pollinators, we need to provide three basic elements:
- Shelter – buildings and gardens provide places where insects and hummingbirds can live.
- Water – a source of water is essential.
- Food Source – the plants that feed themselves and their young.
Food For Pollinators At All Life Stages
The fun part for gardeners is, of course, planting the plants that provide for the pollinators. We do this with two groups of plants: the food plants for caterpillars (of moths and butterflies) and nectar sources for adult moths and butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.
- Herbs provide an excellent source of leaves for caterpillars. Always plant extra so there is enough for you and the caterpillars. Don’t forget Milkweed (Asclepias) for Monarch caterpillars.
- Flowering perennials, shrubs, and trees - provide nectar-rich flowers for adult moths and butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.
Host plants are the plants that have co-evolved with certain species of insects and are essential for their survival. For example, Milkweed (Asclepias) is the host plant for Monarch Butterflies. Learn more about Monarchs & Milkweed.
Natural Nectar For Hummingbirds
I am an enthusiastic hummingbird gardener, so I’m always planting flowering plants to attract them. Want to see the magic of hummingbirds in your garden? Learn more in this helpful guide: Making Your Yard A Hummingbird Magnet.
Some of my favorite hummingbird plants:
- Beardtongue (Penstemon) – a large diverse group of wildflowers especially for western gardens
- Columbine (Aquilegia) – the best wildflowers to attract hummingbirds to your shady gardens!
- Beebalm (Monarda) – dazzling flowers in shades of pink and red
- Hummingbird Mint (Agastache) – beautiful flowers and aromatic oils in flowers and foliage
- Hummingbird Trumpet (Zauschneria) – wonderful orange flowers
- Sage (Salvia) - this includes our many native species and hybrids
- Purple Coneflower (Echinacea) - especially in the Mid-West and Eastern US
Shop Hummingbird Favorite Perennials
Natural Nectar For Butterflies, Moths & Bees
Want to see your garden buzzing with life? Learn more in our helpful guides: Providing Habitat for Bumblebees: Gardening with A Big Buzz and How To Plant A Butterfly Garden.
Some of my favorite plants for butterflies, moths, and all kinds of bees:
- Ornamental Onions (Allium) – fabulous for bees
- Beebalm (Monarda) - butterflies
- Yarrow (Achillea) - butterflies
- Lavender (Lavandula) - bees and butterflies
- Oregano (Origanum) - bees and butterflies
- Catmint (Nepeta) - bees and butterflies
- European Sage (Salvia) – Salvia nemerosa are superb varieties
- Purple Coneflower (Echinacea) – especially attractive to bumblebees
- Evening Primrose (Oenothera) - especially attractive to hawkmoth
Shop Pollinator-Friendly Perennials
by David Salman

To say pollination is an important process would be an understatement. A large number of the Earth’s edible plants create their fruit and seeds with the help of pollinators moving pollen from plant to plant. And we humans, along with the rest of the world’s animals, depend on this essential food cycle for our survival.
Pollinators (such as native bees, bumblebees, honey bees, butterflies, moths and hummingbirds) need flowers for pollen and nectar. And the flowers need them, to help accomplish the pollination process that sets the seeds and fruits so the plants can propagate themselves. A healthy pollinator population means the area of the Earth on which they live is also healthy. Pollinators are the pulse of the planet.
As gardeners, we are involved in the pollination process even if we don’t think about it. And that’s because we love planting flowers! So when we plant an abundant garden or landscape and care for these plants in an organic environment, it provides for us humans too. This helps to complete the web of life.
To plan and plant a nectar garden for pollinators, we need to provide three basic elements:
- Shelter – buildings and gardens provide places where insects and hummingbirds can live
- Water – a source of water is essential.
- Food Source – the plants that feed themselves and their young.
The fun part for gardeners is, of course, planting the plants that provide for the pollinators. We do this with two groups of plants; the food plants for caterpillars (moths and butterflies) and nectar sources for adult moths and butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.
Herbs – provide an excellent source of leaves for caterpillars. Always plant extra so there is enough for you and the caterpillars. And don’t forget Milkweed (Asclepias) for Monarch caterpillars.
Flowering perennials, shrubs and trees - provide nectar-rich flowers for adult moths and butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.

I am an enthusiastic hummingbird gardener, so I’m always planting flowering plants to attract them.
Some of my favorite hummingbird plants in this category include:
- Beardtongue (Penstemon) – a large diverse group of wildflowers especially for western gardens
- Columbine (Aquilegia) – the best wildflowers to attract hummingbirds to your shady gardens!
- Beebalm (Mondarda) – dazzling flowers in shades of pink and red
- Hummingbird Mint (Agastache) – beautiful flowers and aromatic oils in flowers and foliage
- Hummingbird Trumpet (Zauschneria) – wonderful orange flowers
- Sage (Salvia) - this includes our many native species and hybrids
- Purple Coneflower (Echinacea) - especially in the Mid-West and Eastern US
Asclepias incarnata ‚Rose‚ (Swamp Milkweed) is a showy pink blooming Asclepias species that is a food plant for Monarch butterfly caterpillars and a nectar source for ad...
Learn MoreRose Swamp Milkweed Rose Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnataAs low as $13.99Per Plant - 5" Deep PotAsclepias incarnata 'Rose' (Swamp Milkweed) is a showy pink blooming Asclepias species that is a food plant for Monarch butterfly caterpillars and a nectar source for adult butterflies. Also known as Swamp Milkweed, it grows best in moist or wet soils.Verbena peruviana ‚Red Devil‚ (Perennial Verbena) is a perennial variety that grows as a groundcover and blooms all summer with a dazzling display of brilliant red flower...
Learn MoreRed Devil Perennial Verbena Red Devil Perennial Verbena Verbena peruvianaAs low as $11.99Per Plant - 5" Deep PotVerbena peruviana 'Red Devil' (Perennial Verbena) is a perennial variety that grows as a groundcover and blooms all summer with a dazzling display of brilliant red flowers. 3" tall x 15-18" wide.Nepeta x psfike ‚Little Trudy®‚ PP#18,904 (Catmint) is a compact, long-blooming Catmint with warm purple flowers that bloom from late spring through summer, attracting b...
Learn MoreLittle Trudy® Nepeta Little Trudy® Nepeta Nepeta x Psfike PP#18,904As low as $11.99Per Plant - 5" Deep PotNepeta x psfike 'Little Trudy®' PP#18,904 (Catmint) is a compact, long-blooming Catmint with warm purple flowers that bloom from late spring through summer, attracting bees and butterflies. Finely textured aromatic foliage will help to deter deer and rabbits.Monarda didyma ‚Jacob Cline‚ (Bee Balm) is one of our most spectacular native Beebalm hybrids with heads of long tubular deep red flowers. Discovered in a Georgia garden,...
Learn MoreJacob Cline Bee Balm Jacob Cline Bee Balm Monarda didyma 'Jacob Cline'As low as $11.99Per Plant - 5" Deep PotMonarda didyma 'Jacob Cline' (Bee Balm) is one of our most spectacular native Beebalm hybrids with heads of long tubular deep red flowers. Discovered in a Georgia garden, it has excellent mildew resistance and blooms for a month or so in mid-summer.
Some of my favorite plants for butterflies, moths and all kinds of bees, I recommend:
- Ornamental Onions (Allium) – bees!!! Fall-planted bulbs are some of the best for bees.
- Beebalm (Monarda) - butterflies
- Yarrow (Achillea) - butterflies
- Lavender (Lavandula) – bees and butterflies
- Oregano (Origanum) - bees and butterflies
- Catmints (Nepeta) - bees and butterflies
- European Sage (Salvia) – Salvia nemerosa and superb varieties
- Purple Coneflower (Echinacea) – especially attractive to bumblebees
- Evening Primrose (Oenothera) - especially attractive to hawkmoth
‚Mitcham Gray‚ is a rarely offered cultivar of English Lavender similar to ‚Hidcote Superior‚ with a compact growth habit, dark lavender-blue flower spikes, a...
Learn MoreMitcham Gray English Lavender Mitcham Gray English Lavender Lavandula angustifolia 'Mitcham Gray'As low as $13.99 Sale $13.29Per Plant - 5" Deep Pot'Mitcham Gray' is a rarely offered cultivar of English Lavender similar to 'Hidcote Superior' with a compact growth habit, dark lavender-blue flower spikes, and gray-green foliage. But it is a faster grower than the slow-to-mature 'Hidcote Superior'.Asclepias syriaca ‚Common Milkweed‚ is a gorgeous plant that produces purple/pink flower clusters that wildflower gardeners love and spreads quickly. This native perennia...
Learn MoreCommon Milkweed Common Milkweed Asclepias syriacaAs low as $13.99Per Plant - 5" Deep PotAsclepias syriaca 'Common Milkweed' is a gorgeous plant that produces purple/pink flower clusters that wildflower gardeners love and spreads quickly. This native perennial is a primary food source for the Monarch butterfly providing large leaves for caterpillars and big pink globe-like flowers that provide nectar for the adult butterflies. Planting it will help to support Monarch populations. Perennial.Asclepias incarnata ‚Rose‚ (Swamp Milkweed) is a showy pink blooming Asclepias species that is a food plant for Monarch butterfly caterpillars and a nectar source for ad...
Learn MoreRose Swamp Milkweed Rose Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnataAs low as $13.99Per Plant - 5" Deep PotAsclepias incarnata 'Rose' (Swamp Milkweed) is a showy pink blooming Asclepias species that is a food plant for Monarch butterfly caterpillars and a nectar source for adult butterflies. Also known as Swamp Milkweed, it grows best in moist or wet soils.Sedum rupestre ‚SunSparkler® Wildfire‚ PP#28621 (Stonecrop) blazes with ruby red petals edged in hot pink. Late summer brings clusters of long-blooming pink flowers. It&...
Learn MoreSunSparkler® Wildfire Sedum SunSparkler® Wildfire Sedum Sedum 'Wildfire' PP#28,621As low as $11.99Per Plant - 5" Deep PotSedum rupestre 'SunSparkler® Wildfire' PP#28621 (Stonecrop) blazes with ruby red petals edged in hot pink. Late summer brings clusters of long-blooming pink flowers. It’s an attention-worthy groundcover that will naturalize to fill a sunny, dry area. In fact, the more sun, the brighter the color. A perfect easy-to-grow addition to a rock garden, container, or any sunny spot that needs a water-thrifty color boost. Deer and rabbit resistant.
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