The Plenty for Pollinators Garden Kit is a collection of plants that will provide milkweed for monarchs, plenty of nectar for all, and good pollen for bees from April to October. We have also included a large variety of colors and heights in this kit for evolving beauty throughout the season. The plants were chosen for their tolerance to different moisture, soil, and sun requirements for the most flexibility and success.
Design and Planting Tips:
- Prepare your garden site (follow the link for details as well as information about plant spacing)
- A location with full sun to partial shade, and moderate soil moisture is ideal for this grouping
- Group plants of the same species together
- Consider the height of each plant. Position taller plants at the back and shorter plants at the front
Kit Contents:
12 varieties, with 2 of each (24 total plants), all listed below with details. An image of each plant can be found to the left, pictured in the order listed:
2-Bee balm
2-Prairie Phlox
2-Rose Milkweed
2-Joe Pye (Pink)
2-Purple Coneflower
2-Sand Coreopsis
2-Beardtongue Foxglove
2-New England Aster
2-Riddell's Goldenrod
2-Helen's Flower
2-Prairie Dropseed
2-Common Yarrow
Beebalm or Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
Native Perennial
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
Soil Moisture: Dry to Medium-Wet
Soil Type: Thrives in a wide range of soils: acid to lime, rich to poor, sand to clay
Height: 4'
Bloom Time: July through September
Bloom Color: Lavender, pink
Resistance: Deer, Drought, Black Walnut
Attracts: Butterflies, bees, hummingbirds
Pollinator benefit- Excellent nectar source
Prairie Phlox (Phlox pilosa)
Native Perennial
Sun Exposure: Sun, Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil type: Sandy or rocky, good drainage
Height – 1'-2'
Bloom Time - March-May
Bloom Color - White, Pink, Purple
Attracts - Butterflies, Native Bees
Pollinator Benefit - good nectar source; great for long-tongued bees, butterflies and skippers
Joe Pye-Pink (Eutrochium maculatum)
Perennial
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
Soil Moisture: Wet, Medium-Wet
Height: 5'
Bloom Time: July, August, September
Bloom Color: Pink
Attracts: butterflies, bees, birds
Pollinator benefit: excellent honey source for honey bees, great for native bees; generous nectar for all nectaring insects
Rose Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Perennial
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
Soil Moisture: Wet, Medium-Wet, Medium
Height: 4'
Bloom Time: June, July, August
Bloom Color: pink
Resistance: Deer
Attracts: butterflies, bees, hummingbirds
Pollinator Benefit: Larval Host for Monarch and Queen butterflies; excellent nectar source for other pollinators; Xerces Society identifies as Special Value to Native Bees and Bumble Bees
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Perennial
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry
Height: 4'
Bloom Time: July, August, September
Bloom Color: Purple
Tolerate: Deer, drought, heat, humidity and poor soil
Attracts: Butterflies, birds, bees
Pollinator benefit: host plant for the Ottoe Skipper butterfly; great nectar source for bees and butterflies
Tall Coreopsis (Coreopsis tripteris)
Sun Exposure: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil Type: Moist to dry sands
Height: 3-6'
Bloom Time: July, August, September
Bloom Color: yellow
Attracts: Butterflies, bees, birds
Pollinator benefit: Good for native bees
Beardtongue Foxglove (Penstemon digitalis)
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
Soil Moisture: Medium, Medium-Dry
Height: 2' to 4'
Bloom Time: June, July
Bloom Color: White to pink
Resistant To: Deer, Drought, Black Walnut
Pollinator benefits: Excellent nectar source for butterflies, native bees and hummingbirds
New England Aster (Symphiotrichum novae-angliae)
Native Perennial
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
Soil Moisture: Wet, Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry
Height: 5ft
Bloom Time: August - October
Bloom Color: Purple
Resistant to Deer, Drought
Attracts: bees, butterflies, birds
Pollinator benefit: Larval Host Plant for Checkerspot butterfly and various moths, late season nectar producer for all nectaring insects
Riddell's Goldenrod (Solidago riddelli)
Native Perennial
Sun Exposure – Full Sun
Soil Moisture - Dry, Medium
Soil Type - Loam, Sand
Height – 1'-3'
Bloom Time - August, September, October
Bloom Color – Yellow
Resistance - Deer
Attracts – Butterflies, native bees, birds
Pollinator Benefit - Late season nectar source; value to native bees for pollen and nesting materials; migrating Monarchs
Helen's Flower or False Sunflower (Helenium autumnale)
Native Perennial
Sun Exposure: Sun
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil Type: Moist clay soils
Height: 2'-5'
Bloom Time: July-October
Bloom Color: YellowAttracts: Butterflies & bees
Pollinator benefit: late nectar source; good for native bees
Prairie Dropseed (Schizachyrium scoparium)
Perennial Grass
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil Type: Dry soil
Height: 2'
Bloom Time: June-August
Bloom Color: pink, yellow, green, brown
Attracts: native bees
Pollinator benefit: Provides nesting materials/structure for native bees
Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Native Perennial
Sun: Full to Part Shade
Height: Up to 3'
Moisture: Dry
Soil Typel: Grows in a variety of soil conditions, sand, loam, clay
Bloom Time: July-September
Bloom Color: White-Pink
Attracts: Pollinators, butterflies, moths, birds
Drought Resistance: High
Pollinator Benefits: Xerces designations: Special Value to Native Bees (Recognized by pollination ecologists as attracting large numbers of native bees); and Supports Conservation Biological Control (a plant that attracts predatory or parasitoid insects that prey upon pest insects).