🦋 2025’s Top Cities for Pollinator-Friendly Landscaping 🐝

What 3 plants should people have on their property?

I have to punt on this one! It’s a lot of pressure to narrow it down to just three…and I would also like to see pollinator-friendly gardeners agonize a bit less about plant choices. I would encourage gardeners to select plants they personally enjoy and that thrive on their property—and the same three species won’t check those boxes for everyone.

The key things are to have neighborhoods where there are a lot of native plants, where something is always in bloom, and to accept feedback from your pollinator neighbors.

If there’s a plant they love, maybe plant some more of it. If there’s a plant that never seems to get much traffic, or that just doesn’t thrive, maybe it’s time to look for a replacement. If there’s a gap during the growing season where you and your neighbors have nothing in bloom—look for a plant that blooms then.

What other landscaping elements are beneficial to pollinators?

Here I’m thinking mainly of bees—and not just honey bees, but the other 4,000 species of bees in North America. Most of them nest in the soil, and some of them nest in dead wood or plant stems.

Some of them collect plant material—like sap, leaf pieces, and petals—to line their nests. So while flowers are an essential part of a pollinator habitat, so are nesting resources. Keep an eye out for nesting native bees, and protect the resources they are using to do it!

If you’re low on dead wood or dead stems, you can introduce these intentionally, or consider adding a small, well-maintained ‘bee hotel’ to your landscape. As an aside, it’s worth noting that ground-nesting bees are generally mild-mannered and do not share the aggressive tendencies of yellowjacket wasps!

What landscaping elements might be deterring pollinators from visiting?

I see a lot of strong statements on the internet about what time of year pollinator gardeners should tidy up the dead stems of perennial plants. Fall and winter have been traditional times for garden cleanup. A lot of resources say that for wildlife-friendly gardening, you should wait until late spring. Late spring is actually not a good time, though!

Colleagues and I did some new research to address the conflicting recommendations, and we found that stems are not occupied in their first winter. It is fine to cut them then. By spring, solitary stem-nesting bees are beginning to move into the previous year’s stems. So if you wait until spring to cut back, you risk destroying these new nests.

An ideal scenario is to tidy up in late winter, but leave some stems in place as a stubble about 12-18” tall. These cut ends will increase opportunities for solitary, stem-nesting bees to enter these stems and start nesting there in the spring.

Also on the topic of nesting, soil-nesting bees don’t generally tunnel through dense turf, bark mulch, or landscape fabric. If you do have a sunny area where soil can be left bare or sparsely vegetated, solitary ground-nesting bees may put it to use.

How can homeowners benefit from attracting pollinators to their backyard?

First, it’s fun! North American native bees are incredibly diverse, and many species are active for a short time each year. As you spend time in a pollinator garden, you’ll get to know your local seasonal progression of pollinators from early spring through first frost.

In my yard alone, I’ve recorded about 75 species of bees, and I hope you’ll also be delighted by the variety of shapes, sizes, and colors of insects that show up on your flowers.

Second, if you’re also a vegetable gardener, setting aside some habitat for pollinators may help you support larger populations of pollinators that are then available to help pollinate your vegetables.

Third, even if you don’t have vegetables that need pollinating, the pollinators you support are an important part of a sustainable ecosystem around you. They help wild plants produce fruits and seeds that support birds and other wildlife (not to mention the next generation of plants).

Can homeowners be pollinator-friendly while deterring annoying pests like mosquitoes? If so, how?

Mosquitoes reproduce in water, so the real key to eliminating mosquitoes without using insecticides is to eliminate standing water (from clogged gutters, watering cans, and so on). Or, for standing water that can’t be eliminated, you can apply larval insecticides that target larval mosquitoes and never come in contact with the flowers and foliage that pollinators use.

Remember that keeping mosquito sprays off of flowers does not ensure that pollinators are safe. Because bees nest in soils, and some species use soil or leaf pieces to line their nest interior, they can easily come into contact with insecticides on soils or non-flowering plants.

What 3 plants should people have on their property?

There is no easy answer to this, as it really depends where you live. In general, a mixture of plants that provides continuous food (pollen and nectar) to pollinating insects throughout the ENTIRE season will be the most beneficial. A garden in full bloom in spring that becomes a food desert for bees later on does not support pollinators, irrespective of the type of plant used.

Local plants that are adapted to your region – and that pollinators are adapted to – can support a broader diversity of pollinating species. However, there are some plants that can be toxic to bees, such as some rhododendron Linden species. Talk to your gardener or search the internet before buying and planting something new in your garden.

What other landscaping elements are beneficial to pollinators?

Structures or spaces that offer pollinators the opportunity to breed will be a big plus, as such structures seem to be becoming more and more rare. A widely known way to promote pollinator reproduction is, for example, insect hotels. These can be constructed easily or purchased and set up. These structures also attract other insects, so they increase the overall insect biodiversity in your garden.

Although these structures can house significant numbers of individuals and can look like a very busy hive of bees, the individuals don’t defend a colony and are not defensive (i.e. they will not attack or sting you like social species such as honey- or bumble bees or wasps/hornets do).

What landscaping elements might be deterring pollinators from visiting?

Pollinators prefer landscapes that provide sufficient variation in the food plants available throughout the season. Highly maintained gardens with low plant biodiversity or non-flower plants offer little incentive for pollinators to visit.

How can homeowners benefit from attracting pollinators to their backyard?

Anyone growing food in their backyard requires pollinators to ensure and maximize crop production. I’ve gotten phone calls from people who complained that their citrus trees rarely bear fruit, which coincided with an area that bans the keeping of bees.

The absence of pollinators can have rather dramatic differences. In some regions of China, where the overuse of pesticides killed all the bees, farmers have to climb into flowering fruit trees and pollinate them by hand. Bees and other pollinators are much more effective doing that, and they are happy to because they also benefit from the pollen and nectar they get.

Regarding concerns of bird flu spreading from wild birds, what considerations should homeowners take when designing a pollinator-friendly backyard?

Outbreaks of bird flu are regional and (hopefully) temporal. The important part is to be aware if an outbreak has been reported in your area. It is key to follow the instructions by local health authorities and stay informed, as the impact and the linked recommendations will change over time. Just to reiterate: there is no indication that pollinators pick up bird flu or transmit it to humans.

Can homeowners be pollinator-friendly while deterring annoying pests like mosquitoes? If so, how?

Yes, there are pollinator-friendly alternatives to combat pest insects, but that depends on what you want to control. In the case of mosquitoes, there are a number of possibilities. As a first precaution, avoid giving these insects any breeding grounds. Remove all standing water if possible. There are also some plants that are known to repel mosquitos. If you are interested, search the internet to find out which of them can be used in your region.

Finally, there is also a well known bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis, which can be purchased in stores or online. These bacteria multiply in water and kill mosquito larvae very efficiently, but pose no harm to pollinators.

What 3 plants should people have on their property?

1. Early-season salvia May nights
2. Catnip
3. Catmint

What other landscaping elements are beneficial to pollinators

Pollinators benefit from structures like arbors with vines to nest and hide in.

What landscaping elements might be deterring pollinators from visiting?

Too much hardtop makes a garden uninviting to pollinators.

How can homeowners benefit from attracting pollinators to their backyard?

Many people improve their well-being by relaxing in their gardens and caring for the plants.

Can homeowners be pollinator-friendly while deterring annoying pests like mosquitoes? If so, how?

Keep a diverse backyard of plants, and insect predators will come. Do not use any herbicides or insecticides.

When sitting outside, place a fan near you and some candles to make smoke, and mosquitoes will leave.

What 3 plants should people have on their property?

This isn’t a “one size fits all” situation. There are many climates across the country which will support different plant types, and gardeners have varying amounts of space to grow plants.

In general I would say to plant native flowering plants and consider the bloom times so there are blooms throughout the growing season, especially early spring and late fall when there are fewer garden plants blooming. I would suggest these plant lists from the Xerces Society; they have lists of plants they recommend for different regions.

What other landscaping elements are beneficial to pollinators?

Undisturbed areas of open bare ground and old plant stems provide nesting sites for native bees. Also, it is important to plant a variety of flower sizes, colors, and shapes for different insects. If possible, it is best to have large swaths of blooms planted in sunny areas.

What landscaping elements might be deterring pollinators from visiting?

The use of pesticides will deter pollinators. In addition, other deterrents include overly disturbed sites and a lack of blooms.

How can homeowners benefit from attracting pollinators to their backyard?

Many fruiting crops, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, apples, pears, cherries and blueberries (to name a few!), rely on pollinators. Having pollinators around can help produce lots of delicious fruits and veggies. Of course, it is also beneficial to know that you are providing food for local wildlife as well.

What 3 plants should people have on their property?

• Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
• Sunflower (Helianthus spp.)
• Joe-pye, boneset (Eupatorium spp.)

These 3 plant groups are ecological workhorses, have excellent structure for a garden setting, and are dependable. You’ll support the highest abundance and diversity of pollinators by opting for species native to your ecoregion. Your state’s native plant society is an excellent resource.

What other landscaping elements are beneficial to pollinators?

Heterogeneity and complexity greatly benefit pollinators. Developed landscapes are often oversimplified, with a limited palette of largely non-native plants. The understory layer is often absent. Incorporating shrubs is a great way to add structure and minimize yard work (i.e. weeding and the need to mulch). Native shrubs can provide pollinators with food, nesting sites, and a place of refuge from predators and mowing equipment.

Minimize standard mulch and opt for living or green mulch, which goes along with the idea of layering. The majority of bee species in North America are ground-nesting, requiring bare patches of ground. Standard mulching practices smother and bury many of these underground bee nurseries. It also makes it hard for garden plants to reseed (free plants).

It’s easy to end up in a perpetual cycle of weeding and mulching. Claudia West, author of Planting in a Post-Wild World, coined the term ‘green mulch.’ Rather than treating our plantings as soldierly specimens, we can plant shade-tolerant species in between them, such as sedges (Carex spp.) and ferns. The base of these plants supports nesting bees, and many sedges are host plants for Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths, and skippers).

What landscaping elements might be deterring pollinators from visiting?

A lack of flowers and leaves that bees and Lepidoptera can use.

Throughout the US, 90% of Lepidoptera use only 14% of plant groups/genera. That 14% of plant groups is often called keystone species because they play an outsized role in supporting not only caterpillars, but also birds, and entire food webs.

Each plant species has unique chemistry and nutritional profiles that support the needs of the caterpillars with which they’ve coevolved. That’s also why prioritizing native species is crucial. For more info on keystone plants in your region, check out homegrownnationalpark.org/keystone-plants.

The same goes for bees. Many North American bees are specialists (an estimated 19-37%), meaning they specialize on pollen from only a few plant groups, and in some cases, only a single species. For example, in the northeast US, the spring beauty mining bee (Andrena erigeniae) has a special relationship with the woodland ephemeral spring beauty (Claytonia virginica). It’s the only type of pollen (which happens to be pink) she collects for her offspring.

If the landscape is missing her host plant, she might stop for nectar to refuel, but will not be able to provide the pollen needed for her eggs to develop. If you live in the northeast, check out jarrodfowler.com/specialist_bees for a comprehensive list of specialist bees and their floral hosts.

How can homeowners benefit from attracting pollinators to their backyard?

Apart from free pollination of our plants and veggies, wild bees are incredibly charismatic and fun to watch. They’re so focused on what they’re doing– sipping nectar to fuel flight, collecting pollen to feed their offspring (or in the case of bumble bees, often their siblings), or collecting leaf material to line their nests, they don’t mind us at all. So you can get some fabulous photos.

If you have tubular flowers, you’ll see bumble bee bums poking out. There’s also the audio component that’s fascinating– not only buzzing, but sometimes a chirp-like sound, when they’re building their nests.

It’s really easy to get hooked on looking for bees. And when you find a spot where bees are nesting, that’s a real treat. It feels good to know that your little patch of green is supporting life and critical pollination services.

And, of course, we all like watching butterflies flit across our yards, but we also benefit from caterpillars. Caterpillars are a favorite of birds, and birds need a lot of them to feed their nestlings. Doug Tallamy, American entomologist, ecologist, and conservationist, estimates that a single chickadee family requires 6,000-9,000 caterpillars!

So if homeowners want to invite birds to their backyard, they’ll want to entice butterflies to lay their eggs in their yard. Please don’t let pest services spray the caterpillars; save them for the birds. Native oaks (Quercus spp.) support the highest number of Lepidoptera species. Black cherry (Prunus spp.), willow (Salix spp.), poplar (Populus spp.), and many other woody genera (including shrubs) are also highly valuable and attractive to Lepidoptera.

Can homeowners be pollinator-friendly while deterring annoying pests like mosquitoes? If so, how?

• Folks are increasingly aware that mosquitoes need standing water to breed, and only a small amount, like a teaspoon. Being diligent about changing the water in our birdbaths and emptying plant saucers, gutters, etc., is important. Mosquito dunks or Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) are promoted as a safe treatment for killing mosquito larvae, whereas treating adult mosquitoes with chemical sprays is not. Adulticide sprays have many non-target effects (despite what pest control adverts claim), and are less effective. Xerces Society (invertebrate conservation org) recommends adulticides as a “last resort.”

• Diverse, heterogeneous landscapes that attract pollinators will also be good habitats for wildlife that eat mosquitoes, like damselflies and dragonflies. Predatory insects will help keep pest populations in check. But the reality is that mosquitoes and ticks will likely continue to share our yards with us. Of course, there’s a plethora of sprays we can use, and there’s also a non-chemical deterrent: wind. Folks in the equine world have long used fans in stalls to deter stable flies. Like their cousins, mosquitoes don’t like breezy conditions. Not near an outlet? Camping supply stores offer an array of battery-operated options.