How to Create a Native Plant Pollinator Garden/Habitat:

 1.  Choose Native Plants: Native plants are well-suited to the local climate, soil, and water availability, making them more resilient and requiring less maintenance.These plants have evolved alongside native pollinators, providing them with the specific nectar, pollen, and habitat they need.

• Before planting:determine your space’s light conditions (full sun, part-sun or shade), soil     moisture (dry, medium or moist), and soil type (clay, gravel, loam or sand).
• Plant “straight” species of native plants:  Pollinators prefer straight species over cultivars. Straight species are native plants that occur naturally in the wild and reproduce without intervention from people. For example, Anise Hyssop – Agastache foeniculum is a straight species. Golden Jubilee Anise Hyssop – Agastache foeniculum ‘Golden Jubilee’ is a cultivar. Hybrids and cultivars often lack the nectar, pollen and fragrance that straight species have, and are less nutritious to pollinators.
• No Neonicotinoids: Choose plants and seeds that have been grown without pesticides and have not been pre-treated with neonicotinoids. Thesepesticides cause the entire plant to be toxic to pollinators and can leach into the soil and take years to disappear.
• Plant Some Milkweed: This is the sole host plant for the Monarch butterfly. Common milkweed is good for the wilder areas of your yard where it can freely self-seed. Butterfly weed and swamp milkweed are better choices for garden areas.

 2.  Plant a Diversity of Plant Species:

• Variety of Flowering Plants: A diverse selection of flowering plants ensures that there are blooms available throughout the growing season, providing a continuous food source for pollinators.
• Different Flower Shapes and Sizes: Including a range of flower shapes and sizes caters to the needs of different pollinator species. For example, tubular flowers attract hummingbirds, while flat, open flowers are ideal for bees and butterflies.

3.   Make a Layered Planting Structure:

• Multiple Plant Layers: Incorporating trees, shrubs, perennials, and groundcovers creates a layered structure that provides shelter, nesting sites, and foraging opportunities for various pollinators.
• Clumping Plants: Grouping plants of the same species together makes it easier for pollinators to find and feed on them.

  4.  Have a Continuous Blooming Period:

• Seasonal Blooms: Selecting plants that bloom at different times ensures that pollinators have access to food from early spring through late fall.
• Perennial and Annual Mix: Combining perennials (which return each year) with annuals (which bloom for a single season) can extend the flowering period.

5.  Avoid the use of Pesticides:

• Chemical-Free Gardening: Avoiding the use of pesticides and herbicides is critical, as these chemicals can harm pollinators and disrupt the ecosystem.

6.  Integrated Pest Management (IPM):

•  Use natural methods to manage pests, such as encouraging beneficial insects and using organic pest control measures, helps protect pollinators.
•  Learn to be okay with a bit of pest damage in your garden, and remove weeds and invasive  insects like Japanese beetles by hand. 

  7.  Provide a Water Source:

• Shallow Water: Providing a shallow water source, such as a birdbath with stones for perching, allows pollinators to drink and cool off.
• Moist Soil Areas: Creating damp areas with moist soil can attract butterflies and other pollinators that need water for egg-laying and hydration.

 8.  Provide Shelter and Nesting Sites:

• Habitat Features: Including dead wood, brush piles, and undisturbed areas of soil where solitary bees can nest, or providing bee houses and butterfly boxes, helps create a complete habitat for pollinators.
• Native Grasses and Ground Cover: These provide additional shelter and nesting sites for various pollinators.

9.  Reduce Light Pollution:

•  Turn off unnecessary outdoor lights.  They are disorienting to pollinators. Click here for Actions you can take to reduce Light Pollution

 10. Start identifying and removing invasive plants from your property: 

• See Groton’s Invasive Species List of Invasive Plants: See Groton’s Invasive Species List of Invasive Plants:  https://portal.grotonma.gov/storage/Invasive_Species_Committee/ 

   (See action item: Identify Invasive Species & Remove)

11. Delay Spring Cleanup:

• Wait until spring daytime temperatures are above 50 degrees for five consecutive days before cutting back dead flower stalks and removing leaf litter to give overwintering bees and caterpillars time to emerge.  Cut plant stocks leaving 12-18 inches tall.  Many bees will nest in this material.

12. Visit the Sustainability Commission’s Pollinator Habitat Garden:  

• Located on the grounds of The Groton Center at 163 West Main Street to see a beautiful example of a pollinator garden. This garden is a conservation project to help offset the loss of pollinator habitat. Commission member Alison Peterson has meticulously designed, planted and maintained the garden over the past four years. The garden features over fifty types of native perennials, groundcovers, vines and shrubs which provide three seasons of blooms. Click on the Deep Dive tave above to read more about the Pollinator Habitat Garden and why helping pollinators is essential.

Benefits of a Native Plant Pollinator Garden/Habitat:

• Supports Local Ecosystems: By attracting and sustaining native pollinators, these gardens contribute to the health of local ecosystems and the pollination of both wild plants and agricultural crops.
• Enhances Biodiversity: Native plant gardens increase plant diversity, which in turn supports a wide variety of pollinator species and other wildlife.
• Low Maintenance: Native plants are adapted to local conditions, making them more resistant to pests and diseases, and reducing the need for watering, fertilizing, and other maintenance tasks.
• Fun to See: If you plant it, they will come. Enjoy all the creatures you will see that would not be around without native plants in your landscape.

Creating a native plant pollinator garden or habitat is an effective way to contribute to environmental conservation, support local wildlife, and enjoy a beautiful, thriving garden.