The transfer of pollen among plants allows fertilization and supports production of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and oilseeds. Pollination affects biodiversity of plants, which in turn impacts our food supply and food security.
While about 13% of species of angiosperms (aka flowering plants) can self-pollinate or use the wind to achieve pollination, the remainder need the help of pollinators. Animal pollination is required to optimize reproduction for the majority of angiosperm species, supporting a rich and diverse array of flowering plants—many of which produce more than just flowers!
An estimated 75% of our major crops are reliant on (or benefit from) animal pollination. Food security is a critical concern around the world and is heavily impacted by the availability of pollination services. By actively protecting pollinators and the plants that they rely upon, we can enrich biodiversity throughout the food chain from the ground up.
In honour of Pollinator Week, we’ve put together some tips that focus on easy ways that you can help make a difference for pollinators and support biodiversity. By simply changing our habits, we can change habitats.
Six Landscaping Tips to Benefit Pollinators
A little effort (or lack thereof!) can help our pollinator-pals by providing outdoor spaces that are suited to their needs. No matter where you live, these general guidelines can be applied to your location.
1. Adopt more lax landscaping practices.
Hold off on that thorough autumn tidy and delay your spring clean-up. When you “leave the leaves”, this offers food and shelter to a number of pollinators and other invertebrates, especially helpful for them to make it through colder months.
Mow less. With about 40 million acres of lawn in the USA, turf grass can be considered the largest “crop” we grow. Mowing your lawn less often allows flowering plants between the blades more time to bloom. Additionally, creating unkept areas in your yards and gardens preserve spots for pollinator-friendly plants to grow uninterrupted (see more on this in #5).
Bonus: this means less maintenance for you!
2. Choose appropriate plants for your site.
There is no point in planting for pollinators if the plants won’t thrive. Be sure to pick plants that work for the specific location you plan to put them. Does it have sun or shade? What type of soil are you digging into? Following the guidelines for each plant species will give your garden the best chance to flourish—and make sure your investment of time and money isn’t wasted.
3. Select species that are native to your area.
There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all “pollinator seed mix.” Plants that are native and thrive in some areas may be invasive in others. Native plants are hardy to their local conditions, meaning they’ll likely have a better rate of survival.
Seeking out native plants for your local pollinators is extra helpful. Some pollinators have co-evolved with certain plant species and require them as a habitat or food source. The more native plants you have, the more native pollinators you’ll attract.
We compiled a handy list of regional guides below to help you find native plants for your area!
4. Plant a diversity of flower shapes, colours, and species, while aiming for continual bloom.
Ensuring your yards have a variety of plants will draw many different types of pollinators throughout the seasons. Most pollinators in North America require access to forage (food) in spring, summer, and fall. Selecting flowering species that bloom continuously provides pollinators with food for longer periods of time.
5. Plan habitats for pollinators.
When people think of landscaping for pollinators most people think of planting flowers, and that’s great! However, pollinators are threatened from habitat loss which includes food AND shelter. You can proactively provide shelter for pollinators by planning:
Naturalized areas on your property. Leaving deadfall, rock piles, and unmown areas contribute to a diversity of habitat options for solitary and ground nesting bees, butterflies, beetles, moths, and more. Pollinators make a great excuse to get lazy with your landscaping!
- Host plants for a particular pollinator. Some pollinators, like butterflies, require a specific larval host plant to complete their life cycle. (e.g. Milkweed for Monarchs or violets for Fritillary butterflies).
6. Manage pests proactively and use pesticides mindfully.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a framework which employs multiple integrated strategies to manage pests. It focuses on using the most effective management tool while taking on the least risk. Pesticides can kill non-target species so it’s ideal to use them as a “last resort”.
Pro Tip: Aim to regularly monitor for pests so issues can be addressed promptly before they get out of hand. Some other pesticide-free ways to manage pests include: companion planting with pest-repelling varieties, manual removal of pests, and keeping strong healthy plants that can withstand damage.
Planting Native Species for Pollinators: Regional Guides
Deciding which species to plant for pollinators can be a challenging task, as it is highly specific to each region. Plants that are native and thrive in some areas can be invasive in others! To help guide your planting plans, we have compiled resources that list the recommended plants for pollinators. Click through to find the regional break-down for your country:
- CANADA: Pollinator Partnership – Find Your Roots
- USA: Pollinator Conservation – Pollinator-friendly Plant Lists
- EUROPE: European Commission – EU Pollinator Information
- AUSTRALIA: Wheen Bee Foundation – Powerful Pollinators
- NEW ZEALAND: Aukland Council – Native Plant Species Guide
Living in another part of the world? We encourage you to seek out your own local guide if your region in this is not listed here.
Help Pollinators Help Us
Pollinators are extremely precious to our biodiversity, our food chain, and our earth. By helping protect their habitat, you can make a difference to your local environment and beyond. We hope these simple steps inspire you to get outdoors, get planting, and enjoy the renewed diversity of your landscape—along with the wonderful pollinators it attracts. Happy Pollinator Week!