Grow A Pollinator Garden

Monarch Butterfly on a flower

Plan A Pollinator Garden For Your Home

Growing a pollinator garden is one of the best, and most beautiful, ways to create a more sustainable planet. You may not realize if, but pollinators are very important to each of us in our daily lives. Without pollinators, our food supply would simply collapse. Many pollinator populations are in decline due to the loss of food sources and nesting habitats. Pollution, the misuse of chemicals, disease, and changes in climatic patterns are also contributing to shrinking and shifting pollinator populations.  You can help by using plants that pollinators rely on for food and shelter and, in the process, end up with some very nice looking plants in your garden.

Why Pollinators Are Important

According to Pollinator Partnership, Somewhere between 75% and 95% of all flowering plants on the earth need help with pollination – they need pollinators. Pollinators provide pollination services to over 180,000 different plant species and more than 1200 crops. That means that 1 out of every three bites of food you eat is there because of pollinators. If we want to talk dollars and cents, pollinators add 217 billion dollars to the global economy, and honey bees alone are responsible for between 1.2 and 5.4 billion dollars in agricultural productivity in the United States. In addition to the food that we eat, pollinators support healthy ecosystems that clean the air, stabilize soils, protect from severe weather, and support other wildlife.

What Are Pollinators?

When people hear the word “pollinator”, they usually think of bees. And while bees are a major pollinator insect, any animal that assists in the pollination of plants is considered a pollinator. This includes birds, bats, butterflies, beetles, small mammals and, yes, all sorts of bees.

Tips For Planting A Pollinator Garden

Use native plants. These plants are best adapted for where you live and are the preferred food sources of the local pollinator population.

Be diverse in plant selection. Choose plants that will provide different colors, fragrances and shapes. Bees prefer flowers in shades of blue, purple, white and yellow. Butterflies prefer red and purple flowers.

Provide water sources. Bee colonies need ready sources of water. Putting out a small dish of fresh water will help them stay hydrated.

Provide habitat for nesting and egg-laying. Leaving a few areas natural and overgrown or grassy, installing bat houses and bird houses, and providing bee blocks can provide nesting areas and protection for pollinators.

Be careful with pesticides. If you must use pesticides, follow instructions carefully and avoid spraying when and where pollinators are active.

Plant generously. Large groups of flowers are more attractive to pollinators that single plants.

Our Favorite Pollinator Garden Plants

There are man choices when considering which plants to grow for pollinators. Here are a few of our favorites.

Pollinator Garden

Pollinator Garden Pollinator Garden

199

Allentuck Landscaping Co. is Your Residential Landscape Company

Phone: 301-515-1900 Email: info@allentucklandscaping.com

At Allentuck Landscaping Company, our mission is to create beautiful environments for people to enjoy. We see landscaping as a way to improve people’s lives.

The Allentuck Landscaping Company team has been a leading landscape company in Montgomery County, Maryland for over 28 years with our turnkey approach to landscape design, installation, construction and maintenance. Most companies try to serve many types of customers at the same time; homeowners, shopping centers, office buildings and the list goes on. At Allentuck Landscaping Co., we focus on one customer, you, the homeowner. We have a singular focus on bringing you the best landscape practices, the best customer service, and the best value for your home.

Services Provide – Master Landscape Plans, Complete Maintenance Programs, Plantings, Patios, Walkways, Retaining Walls, Water Features, Outdoor Lighting, Outdoor Kitchens, Trellises & Pergolas, Irrigation Systems, Drainage Solutions, Grading & Sodding. Fire Pits & Fire Places, Spring Clean Ups, Decks, Fences, Mosquito & Tick Control, Deer Control.

Areas Served – Chevy Chase, Bethesda, Potomac, Rockville, North Potomac, Darnestown, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Damascus, Boyds, Clarksburg, Ijamsville, Urbana, Frederick in Maryland and Washington DC.

 

Why Now Is the Time to Book Landscape Cleanup & Maintenance Services

In Need of Landscape Cleanup & Maintenance Services? Book Before Calendars Fill As the winter weather begins to thaw, spring is approaching. And while spring may be the time for cleaning your house, the tail end of winter is the best time to book landscape cleanup and maintenance services. Winter leaves behind debris and will typically leave your landscaping and lawn looking a bit ragged. Not only that, but there’s quite a bit of preparation that must be completed to

READ MORE »

5 Essential Elements for an Amazing Outdoor Design

Insights Into How To Create An Amazing Outdoor Design Quality outdoor design can transform your outdoor space into a captivating oasis involves a careful blend of design elements that cater to both aesthetics and functionality. From the warmth of a fire pit to the allure of outdoor lighting, the freshness of greenery, the comfort of shade under a pergola, and the practicality of an outdoor kitchen, these five components can turn any yard into a haven for relaxation and entertainment.

READ MORE »

7 Front Walkway Ideas To Make Your Home More Welcoming

These Front Walkway Ideas Will Make You Glad To Come Home Making your home feel brand new can be as simple as updating the curb appeal. At Allentuck Landscaping, we’ve designed and installed a variety of front walkways over the years, and today we’ve gathered a few of our favorites to showcase. Each walkway features a unique pattern or material combination. We hope these front walkway ideas spark some brilliant ideas inside of you, and, of course, we hope you

READ MORE »

Project Spotlight: Contemporary Outdoor Living Spaces with a Pool

See How the Allentuck Team Transformed This Longtime Client’s Home Over Many Years At Allentuck Landscaping Company, we love nothing more than to bring our client’s ultimate vision to life. This has led to our team putting together numerous beautiful outdoor living spaces, many complete with a pool, fire elements, water features, custom plant installations, and much more. We started our Project Spotlights series to share some of our favorite projects here on our blog—and today’s project is one of

READ MORE »

6 Wonderful Plants For A Deer Resistant Screen

Got deer and need screening? Here is a list of 6 wonderful plants for a deer resistant screen. Whether you’re looking to block off an ugly view, dampen noise pollution, or you simply desire some solitude, sometimes you just need a bit more privacy. There are many natural ways to enclose your property that are both visually pleasing and effective. These 6 plants are great screening options, even if you have deer! Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) A slender, conical conifer

READ MORE »

Why Now Is the Time to Start Your Landscape Design and Construction Project

The Early Spring Is Perfect for Planning Your Landscape Design and Construction Project With our coldest months behind us here in the DC Metro, chances are spending time outside is on top of your mind. What may surprise you, though, is that now is actually a great time to be thinking about landscape design and construction, as the early spring months are the perfect opportunity to get ahead of the curve. At Allentuck Landscaping Company, we specialize in developing beautiful,

READ MORE »