Attracting pollinators to the garden

Whether you have limited space or a huge yard for a garden, you are in luck. Any of the perennial flowers mentioned in this article will do well in containers or in landscape beds, making sure you pick the right place for the right plant. But understanding the difference between nectar and pollen can help you pick a variety of flowers that help sustain wild bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators.

What is nectar? Nectar is a sugary substance located at the plant glands called nectaries. The nectar attracts pollinators to the plant’s flower.

What is pollen? Pollen consists of the male sexual reproduction of pollen grains necessary in cross-pollination. Pollen is often windblown. In other cases, it travels on insects to other plant’s flowers.

To attract a good number of pollinators and to keep wild bees and domestic bees healthy, your garden needs a mix of nectar and pollen. Fruit trees are a good example of a nectar source — just don’t spray the fruit tree while the flowers are in bloom.

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