Pollinator lawns are an alternative to regular lawns made with a mix of blooming flowers, shrubs, and low-maintenance grasses that are designed to attract bees, birds, butterflies, and other pollinator species.
Besides helping the environment, pollinator lawns can also be aesthetically pleasing and enrich your yard with a beautiful and relaxing view. To help us understand more about pollinator lawns, we’ll also share insights from an expert.
What’s a Pollinator Yard?
A pollinator yard, also called a pollinator lawn or bee lawn, is a type of wildlife habitat designed to attract and offer nourishment to pollinators — bees, insects, butterflies, and birds.
A pollinator lawn is created by combining different types of native plants; low-growing perennials, trees, and shrubs; and flowering grasses that will make your yard a safe haven for pollinators.
| Note: If you’re inexperienced or would like a helping hand, hire a landscaping provider to get your pollinator yard started. |
Why Should I Plant a Pollinator Lawn?
Pollinator lawns are environmentally friendly, low-maintenance, and are perfect for homeowners wanting to create a beautiful landscape that will also benefit the local community.
For James Wolfin, Conservation Specialist at Twin City Seed and former researcher on bee lawns at the University of Minnesota, pollinator lawns are always preferable to regular turfgrass lawns and a “fantastic option” for pollinator conservation.
He says, “Pollinator lawns provide support for more than 65 bee species according to University of Minnesota research. They are also dramatically more eco-friendly, with reduced needs for water, fertilizer, and mowing once fully established.”
Here are some of the benefits of planting a pollinator lawn:
- Pollinator lawns offer habitat and safe food sources for the pollinators in your local ecosystem. Bees and pollinators have been significantly affected by habitat loss and pesticide use. Adding pollinator-friendly plants helps these hardworking insects find food and shelter.
- Pollinator yards are good for kids and pets. Pollinator gardens can combine different textures and scents, offering a sensory experience for you, your kids, and pets. Just make sure not to use plants that are poisonous to dogs or cats, and you’ll have nothing to worry about.
- Pollinator lawns save you time and effort in the long run. Wolfin says, “Pollinator lawns are low input after they are fully established. It is important that folks…take the proper steps to establish their pollinator lawn (preparing the soil, using starter fertilizer, proper watering, etc.)” to get it off to a healthy start.
Once established, pollinator lawns require little mowing. Their low-maintenance grass types and low-growing perennials or ground covers can be left to flower.
- Bee lawns will save you money. By creating a yard with low-maintenance or native plants, you won’t need to apply fertilizer (except during establishment) or pesticides, saving you time and expense.
- Pollinator yards are environmentally friendly. Conventional turfgrass lawns require regular fertilization, and fertilizer runoff can pollute local water sources and groundwater. Pollinator lawns use no chemicals or fertilizers once established and less water than a traditional lawn.
Where to Plant a Pollinator Lawn
You can plant a pollinator lawn pretty much anywhere. If you’re not ready to commit your entire yard, start with a small area. Start with places like:
- Your backyard or front yard*
- A sloped area that you don’t use often
- Around your house’s foundation
- In a vegetation strip between your home and the fence
| *Note: Check with your neighborhood or homeowners’ association about planting a pollinator lawn. Some associations have guidelines that may exclude this type of habitat. |
What Turfgrasses Can You Use in a Pollinator Lawn?
The best cool-season grasses for pollinator lawns are a mix of fine fescues and Kentucky bluegrass. For warm-season lawns, your best choice is to opt for flowering native grasses. Just leave the flowers on the grass instead of mowing when they bloom.
See Related: Does ‘No Mow May’ Support Pollinators?
What Plants Can You Use in a Pollinator Lawn?
Typically, pollinators like sunny areas and, therefore, plants that thrive in the sun might be your best choice. You can also start your pollinator garden with native plants, which are perfectly adapted to your local climate. Wolfin says, “Generally speaking, native plants are always the preference.”
However, as he says, “There are only so many cost-effective plant species that can withstand mowing, stay low, and provide nutritious food for pollinators. With that in mind, we try to focus on native plant species while also incorporating some non-native species that are highly nutritious for pollinators.”
Here are some bee flower suggestions for your wildflower lawn:
- Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris) attracts the clouded yellow butterfly (Colias croceus) and is a host plant for the clouded sulphur butterfly (Colias philodice) and the gray marvel moth (Anterastria teratophora). It also attracts various bee and skippers species.
- Dutch white clover (Trifolium repens), common in clover lawns, attracts the endangered rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis) and wasps. Dutch white clove also attracts hummingbirds to your yard.
- Creeping thyme (Thymus praecox ssp. arcticus; formerly Thymus serpyllum), a flowering ground cover plant, is especially attractive to the tiny sweat bee (Auguchlora pura) and other bee species. It also attracts moths, hummingbirds, and butterflies.
- Common violet (Viola sororia) attracts primarily butterflies, but it is also visited by native bee species and wasps. It is also the host plant for several species of fritillaries butterflies.
- Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) attracts over 90 different bee species, around 62 hoverfly species, and at least 25 butterfly species. They also attract beetles and are a host plant for various moth species.
- Ground plum (Astragalus crassicarpus) is a favorite among bees, moths, and butterflies.
- Calico aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum) is a host plant for various moth caterpillars and also attracts flies, bees, and butterflies.
- Lanceleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata) attracts songbirds, native bees, and butterflies.
- Prairie groundsel (Packera plattensis) is a favorite of skippers, carpenter and cuckoo bees, and is an important host plant for the caterpillars of the geometrid moth (Orthonama obstipata) and for the white-crossed seed bug (Neacoryphus bicrucis).
- Bee balm (Monarda didyma) is especially important for the beebalm shortface bee (Dufourea monardae), the beebalm fairy bee (Perdita gerhardi), and the bare miner bee (Protandrena abdominalis). It is also important for a variety of moth species, butterflies and hummingbirds.
| Note: You can also look for bee lawn seed mixes, also labeled as “pollinator lawn seed mixes,” to get started with a wider range of flower varieties. |
See Related: How to Build a Pollinator Garden
FAQ About Pollinator Lawns
Your pollinator lawn can look unkempt if you don’t regularly maintain it. Keep the edges trimmed or mowed so the plants won’t invade other spaces. Also, consider decorative elements, such as eco-friendly fences and birdbaths or nest boxes that attract birds to your yard, to give your lawn a tidy appearance.
Yes, you can have a pollinator lawn even in a small yard. And for a large property, you don’t have to convert your entire yard into a bee lawn. You can start with small sections; you just have to opt for plants adapted to your local climate.
Yes, a bee lawn can save you money over time. Pollinator lawns don’t usually require grass fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. You’ll only need to water your pollinator garden regularly, and if you want a more polished, manicured look, you’ll have to prune and trim your plants from time to time.
When to Call a Pro
Are you tired just thinking about all the steps to build your pollinator lawn? Contact our landscaping experts to help you come up with a beautiful pollinator lawn to make you (and the bees) happy.
See Related:
Sources:
- “Common Violets, a Beautiful Treasure.” By Sue Watts, garden educator. HGIC.
- “Dandelion Guide: How to Identify, Why It’s so Good for Pollinators, and Recipe Ideas.” By Joshua Styles, ecologist. Discover Wildlife.
- “Delightful Dandelions.” UK Pollinator Monitoring Service.
- James Wolfin, Conservation Specialist at Twin City Seed Company, Saint Paul, Minnesota. Personal interview.
- Mdc.mo.gov. Missouri Department of Conservation.
- “NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.” NC State Extension.
- “Planting and Maintaining a Bee Lawn.” By Kristine Moncada, turfgrass scientist, Maggie Reiter, extension turfgrass educator, and James Wolfin, sustainable land care manager. University of Minnesota Extension.
- “Plants for Pollinators: Violets.” Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
- “Pollinator Lawn.” Blue Thumb.
- “Prairie Ragwort.” Prairie Moon Nursery.
- “Prunella vulgaris.” New Moon Nursery.
- “Tips to Make a “Messy” Wildlife Garden Look Good.” All About Birds from Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
- “What is a Pollinator Lawn?” Smithsonian Gardens.
Main Photo Credit: Conall / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
