Plant with pollinators in mind: How to landscape beneficially for bees, butterflies and more!

Landscaping and gardening are great summer activities for anyone, and not only can it be a fun activity, it can be incredibly beneficial to the environment. Specifically, pollinators are appreciative of mindful landscaping and gardening.

Pollinators are one of the most important parts of keeping the natural environment alive and thriving, as well as helping provide humanity with food, materials and medicines.

Pollinator Partnership says about 75% of all flowering plants rely on animal pollinators and over 200,000 species of animals act as pollinators. Of those, about 1,000 are hummingbirds, bats and small mammals, while the rest are insects such as bees, butterflies, beetles and moths.

Bees especially are an important pollinator, with honeybees able to visit thousands of flowers in one trip outside the hive, but their populations are declining. It is important to do as much as possible to provide a healthy and safe environment for the world’s bees, both for their sake and the needs of humans.

Without the work of pollinators, foods and beverages such as blueberries, chocolate, coffee, peaches, vanilla and almonds would not be able to exist. As Pollinator Partnership puts it, “Plants that depend on a single pollinator species, and likewise, pollinators that depend on a single type of plant for food are interdependent. If one disappears, so will the other.”

From planting specific flowering plants to creating a cozy, safe space for pollinators to rest and hydrate, there are many things people can do to maximize their landscaping for pollinators to do their jobs.

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