Spring Seeds for a Pollinator Garden

The Importance of Pollinators

Pollinators play a vital role in keeping the natural balance within our ecosystems. They work hard to pollinate the food that we eat, and in doing so, help sustain life here on earth. Pollinators need our help! Many are facing population decline due to habitat destruction & climate change. The best way to help the pollinators is to grow a garden. It's important to provide a variety of flowers that bloom throughout the year and incorporate as many native plants as you can.

Pollinators and Native plants have symbiotically co-evolved for over a millennia. These plants  provide a food source, nesting habitat, sanctuary & respite for many species of bees, birds, butterflies and other beneficial pollinators, even bats! They enhance biodiversity and in turn, create sustainable, thriving landscapes. 

Sowing Native Wildflowers

Spring can be an exciting time to start preparing for an abundant garden. Creating a welcoming environment for pollinators can be beautiful, peaceful and educational for the entire family.

Most native wildflowers require cold stratification in order to germinate, meaning they must be sown in fall. That doesn't mean you can't sow seeds this spring to add more pollinator plants. The list below is a wonderful blend of companion plants that can be sown in the early spring and still provide flowers in their first year.

Fireweed

Pearly Everlasting

California Aster

Yarrow

Canadian Goldenrod

Wooly Sunflower

Mountain sneezeweed 

Large leaved lupine

Mixing these powerful pollinator plants with native grasses like California brome and Blue Wildrye along with spring flowers like Red Columbine & Cammas, you can create quite a spectacular native pollinator garden, providing beneficial habitat all season long. Try adding native shrubs like Mock Orange for more structure and height.

Interest in learning more? Meadow Wren will have a booth at Seedy Sunday this year in Duncan. Come by to learn more about which plant species are best suited for your garden site, learn about mason bees and more about the services we offer. We will have plants for sale, mason bee subscription sign ups & more! Check out our website for more information.

www.meadowwrenflowerfarm.com