Pollinator plants play an important role in a thriving backyard ecosystem. Pollen-rich flowers nourish and support many species of bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. While wildflower beds and natural meadows are popular, gardeners with smaller green spaces can still create a potted plant. pollinator garden has the ability to attract many useful friends.
Luckily, there are many small pollinator plants that thrive in raised beds, hanging baskets, and containers. Learning more about these flowers can help you create a beautiful container pollinator garden that attracts bees and butterflies. These pollinator garden ideas for small spaces can help you make the most of any space, no matter how compact or limited in space.
Create a pollinator garden in a pot
Creating a pollinator garden in a pot or balcony is a great way to add color and interest to small spaces. And with the right small pollinator garden plan, you can easily bring in bees and butterflies into your territory. Pollinator-friendly items include bee houses, butterfly feeders, and water features.
Consider containers for small spaces – they need to be compact, but also provide support and drainage. Then you need to consider plants that will fit into the space when they mature. Dwarf varieties are ideal for keeping your containers from becoming overgrown throughout the season. Here are some great options for growing your own pollinator haven.
Choosing plants for your potted pollinator garden
Consider the care needs of small pollinators, as well as their growth requirements. Pay attention to the amount of light available, as well as their watering needs. Most flowering plants grow best when they receive at least six hours of sunlight each day. In particularly hot areas, flowers will appreciate afternoon shade.
Containers tend to dry out quickly and need to be monitored and watered regularly to maintain pollinator friendly plants look their best. These five plants are ideal for a small-space (potted) pollinator garden that will keep your winged visitors coming back for more.
1. Lavender
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Lavender is a natural starting point for anyone looking to squeeze a little pollinator love into their smaller garden. There are some dwarf plants Lavandula angustifoliaL. latifolia and L. x intermediary types are specially designed for compact spaces. Suitable Choosing Lavender in Pots to attract bees and butterflies your way include ‘Dwarf Munstead’, ‘Compacta’, ‘Nana Alba’, ‘Little Lady’, ‘Wee One’ and ‘Thumbelina Leigh’.
Munstead Heirloom Lavender Seeds
For an easy-going lavender that thrives in a large pot, the beautiful Munstead from Park Seed is ideal. Hardy and low maintenance, this passionate purple attraction will quickly become a favourite with bees and butterflies.
2. Dwarf mint (Monarda)
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Bee-friendly Monarda can grow four feet tall and wide, and can spread quickly, so it may not seem like an obvious choice for compact plots and patios. However, you can grow dwarf mint dedicated to pollinator gardens in smaller pots. Notable examples include ‘Petite Delight’ and ‘Pardon My Purple’. Containers should be at least five gallons in size and placed in the sunniest spot you can find.
3. Milkweed
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Beloved of monarch butterflies, Milkweed Milkweed is widely known for its super pollinator abilities. However, although many of the showier varieties can grow several feet tall, you can still grow milkweed in containers. Make sure you use sandy potting soil and a container that is ideally 16 inches (40cm) or larger in diameter and has good drainage holes. Place on the periphery of other plants to attract visiting pollinators.
4. Dwarf coneflower
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With their massive stems and impressive flower heads, echinacea plants also seem like potential space-hogging plants. But coneflower varieties such as ‘Lilliput Dwarf’, ‘Prima Ginger’, ‘Pixie Meadowbrite’ and ‘Guatemala Gold’ can only grow to 12-15in (30-40cm) tall and can grow well in compact areas. Just make sure the containers have plenty of drainage holes and are placed in full sun.
5. Mugwort (Achillea)
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With masses of small, fluffy flowers that range in color from bright white to burnt orange and yellow to neon purple, mugwort (Achillea millefolium) make brilliant pollinators in small spaces. While some climbing varieties grow several feet tall and wide, small cultivars like ‘New Vintage Violet’ grow only 8-10 inches (20-25cm) tall. Perfect for a potted pollinator garden in full sun or partial shade.
frequently asked Questions
How to create diversity in any size garden?
When it comes to planting a pollinator garden, diversity is key. The best plants are those that produce lots of flowers or act as hosts for specific pollinators. Planting a variety of annuals and perennials will help extend the blooming season and make your planting more appealing to garden visitors. While vibrant shades of red, orange, pink, and yellow are most popular, fragrant flowers can also enhance your ability to attract pollinators to your space.
What attracts pollinators to a small space garden?
Spring-flowering bulbs, cold-hardy annuals, tender annuals and perennials can be mixed in containers and small flower beds (if available) to ensure nectar is available to pollinators throughout the summer growing season.
Native flowering plants are often a good choice, as many are considered highly adaptable. Intercropping and using pollinators in vegetable and herb gardens is also common. While you may want to treat plants for insects such as mites or aphids, it is imperative that your potted pollinator garden is chemical and pesticide free.
