Pollinator-Friendly Gardening Tips

Create a safe haven with shelter, water, native
species, and chemical-free care.

Structured Gardening Practices

• Shelter & Spring Cleanup

Trees and shrubs provide shelter. Woody plants with hollows, an old log, twigs, stems and leaves left overwinter provide homes for insects and small mammals. Another option in a small urban garden is to build homes for your favorite pollinators. Look for plans to build your own or purchase a Bee Bungalow, Butterfly Condo or Bat House.

• Clean Water & Butterfly Stones

Water is a critical feature for birds and butterflies. If you have a birdbath, keep it clean and fresh and the birds will love visiting your yard. Butterflies also appreciate clean water but they have trouble drinking from a bird bath. They would like a shallow dish with stepping stones in it for landing pads. Keep in mind that standing water can provide breeding ground for mosquitos, so it is important to change the water in birdbaths regularly.

• Pesticide-Free Care

Avoid pesticides! People, pets as well as pollinators will appreciate the reduced chemical load.

• Native Plants by Site Condition

Choosing the right plants for your specific conditions is key. Focus on species native to the Kingston area for maximum pollinator benefit.

Vervain, Marsh marigold, Boneset, Joe Pye, Turtlehead, Lobelia-blue and scarlet, swamp milkweed, wild asters, blue flag, tickseed, beebalm, meadow rue, anemones; Shrubs: spireas, dogwoods and buttonbush. 

cup plant, all goldenrods, wild asters, beebalm, butterfly weed, black-eyed susan, coneflowers of all kinds, red valerian, gay feather, Canada anemone, thyme, catchfly, ox-eye daisy, fleabanes, pearly everlasting, pussy toes, sage. Shrubs: currants, gooseberries, false indigo, St. Johnswort,

wild ginger, hepatica, bellwort, jack in the pulpit, heart leaf aster, thimbleweed, Canada columbine, baneberries; Shrubs:  elderberry, viburnums, bladdernut tolerate part-shade. 

galanthus, scilla, aconite, species tulips, flat-surfaced flowers, such as dill and fennel, whose surfaces attract tiny parasitic wasps that feed on aphids

Core Gardening Principles

  • Diversity: Plant a variety of flowers that bloom from early spring to late fall.
  • Mass Planting: Plant in groups of 3, 5, or 7 of the same species for better visibility to pollinators
  • Structure: Incorporate different plant heights (ground covers, mid-sized perennials, shrubs, tress)
  • Minimize Disturbance: Limit soil disruption to protect ground-nesting bees and beneficial soil organisms

Local Plant & Seed Sources

  • Lemoine Point Native Nursery: Source for a wide range of local native plants
  • KASSI (Kingston Area Seed Saving Initiative): Offers locally-adapted seeds, particularly heritage varieties
  • Gardens North: Specializes in native and hardy plants suitable for the Kingston climate