A few things we’ve learned with dirt under our nails. Simple starts, patient gardens, and room for the bees.
Pollinator gardens · A first bed
Start with one sunny corner. Pair a spring bloomer, a summer favorite, and a late aster. Plant in small groups so pollinators can find the flowers.
Pick your pollinator plants
Think leaves first. Ferns and foamflower bring texture under trees, where bright summer flowers often struggle.
Watch where the morning light lands. Choose Christmas fern for less than three hours of direct sun, or wild columbine for a brighter woodland edge. Work compost into the planting area without disturbing tree roots. Water the new root zone slowly, then mulch lightly with shredded leaves. Keep mulch away from the crown.
Unpack your plants, check their soil, and let them catch their breath before they meet your garden.
Open the box as soon as it arrives. Lift each pot out by its container, not the stems. Water if the soil feels dry, then set plants in bright shade for a day. Plant at the same soil level as the pot. Water deeply at the roots and keep checking soil moisture through the first growing season.
Growing references: NC State Extension’s Plant Toolbox. Bloom timing depends on your location and growing conditions.