Welcome to our Plant for Pollinators 2022 series!
During this series we will share about the importance of encouraging pollinators in your garden, ways to grow WITH nature and discuss different types of pollinators.
Today we are sharing a few flower & herb varieties that you can plant to attract pollinators to your garden.
BORAGE
BORAGE is my absolute favorite. I've spent hours in the garden listening to the buzzzzing of bees around our Borage plants. I even made a video!
The flavor of Borage is similar to a cucumber. Borage has bright blue, star-shaped flowers that explode in a blue profusion all summer attracting honey bees. The flowers and young leaves may be used to garnish salads, dips and cucumber soups.
CALENDULA
SUNFLOWERS
Each sunflower is actually thousands of teeny flowers. The blossom of the sunflower is called a head. SUNFLOWERS ARE AMAZING!
I took this photo (above) of a beautiful sunflower in my garden!
Sunflowers are not only great additions to a flower and vegetable garden for their food and beauty, they are essential habitat plants for pollinators as well.
Their genus name is Helianthus (which comes from the Greek words for "sun" and "flower").
CONEFLOWER
Coneflowers, also known as Echinacea, are tough little native flowers that draw butterflies, bees, and birds to the garden!
Their genus name Echinacea comes from the Latin name for hedgehog, echinus, referring to the often prickly lower stem of the plant. Coneflowers have raised cone-like centers (hence, their name) which contain seeds that attract butterflies. Leave the seed heads after bloom and you’ll also attract songbirds such as goldfinches!
MARIGOLD
Marigolds are one of the most popular flowers for gardeners. They are fantastic for companion planting and easy to grow from seed.
In Nepal, marigolds are highly celebrated and called “hundred-leafed flower", referring to its many petals per blossom head. It is the main flower used in garlands and decorations at weddings, festivals and religious events.
6 comments
Love marigolds, I have many different kinds. And last year I bought lots of your sunflowers when you had the Sunflower Sale!
Thank you Mary for all the help you give is. I have a candula pack of seeds that you sent me with the seeds I had ordered. Can’t wait to get them planted also the dill. Blessings on everyone’s gardens!!! Happy New yr
Adding these to my list!
Great article! I love all these varieties! I haven’t tried Calendula yet but I am excited to try them this year!
Great read. Thank you!
I want to thank you, Mary’s seeds, for your exceptional and beautiful photography. I cannot have a garden at the moment, as I am waiting for my name to come up for a garden plot at my apartment building. Your great photos of flowers and especially vegetables (squash and pumpkins are my favorite) help much.
I can see that you work very hard and that you love your garden.
Thank you again for your inspiration.
Linda