How to Create a Pollinator Garden

Add flowers that will attract pollinators into your garden, even if this is the only purpose the plant serves. Bees are attracted to brightly colored, fragrant flowers, including geraniums, black-eyed Susans and sages, as they search for nectar to haul back to their hive. Butterflies are drawn to clustered, flat-topped flowers or those that bloom in short tubes, such as milkweed, coneflowers and sweet alyssum, and especially red, orange, yellow, pink and purple blossoms. Hummingbirds help pollinate flowers as they seek out sweet nectar from flowers, particularly red blossoms, such as bougainvilleas, coral bells, delphiniums and nasturtiums.

Establish a source of fresh water in your garden to help attract birds, insects, squirrels and other pollinators. A readily available source of fresh water is essential to the survival of any species and if pollinators recognize easy access to this vital liquid in your garden, they'll soon be regular visitors. A fish pond, running fountain or simple bird bath are options to consider if you don't have a natural body of water on your property.

Allow a portion of your outdoor space to grow unchecked, as this will provide some natural shelter necessary for pollinators to regularly visit your yard. An overgrown environment also gives birds, insects and small animals the opportunity to build nests, raise young or establish colonies. Some birds and pollinators prefer low-growing shrubs, such as dogwoods, viburnums and pyracanthas, to use as shelter, while others would rather roost in higher-canopy trees, such as oaks, elderberry trees and persimmons.

Build permanent bird houses, roosts and other shelters for pollinators, as their presence will encourage return visits or the adoption of your yard as home by animals and insects alike. You can buy or make bee apiaries and bird houses of various sizes, and a roost can be as simple as nailing a board to two limbs of a tree.