Shortly after installing our first pollinator garden we decided to convert some more grass in our backyard to another garden that would be filled with native plants for the pollinators. We dug up the sod and added fresh dirt to the area and then planted almost a dozen more native species as part of our goal to provide habitat for local pollinators.

Our second pollinator garden.

In the middle of the bed is a Serviceberry Tree which has beautiful spring flowers that produce lovely red berries that birds love. In the fall, when the leaves turn, we will find out if it is a Downy or Smooth Serviceberry.

We purchased the plants from DeGroots again and only selected plants offered by a local organization called Return The Landscape. This way, we were confident that the plants were native, non-hybridized and grown locally.

Swamp Rose Mallow

This Swamp Rose Mallow may or may not do well in our garden since it is usually found in tidal marshes and inland, freshwater marshes. It is a coarse plant with large white or pink flowers that resemble wild roses. If it does take root in our garden, it probably won’t flower much this year but, hopefully it will bloom from July to September in the years to come.

Cardinal Flower

One of the prettiest flowers I’ve seen lately, the Cardinal Flower, is very showy with its deep red clusters of flowers on a tall stalk. This flower is mainly pollinated by hummingbirds, who will be welcome visitors to our garden.

Virginia Mountain Mint

Virginia Mountain Mint, or Common Mountain Mint, rarely grows in mountainous regions. This plant will produced small, white flowers which may have purple spots (we’ll have to see). This plant is a favourite for many pollinators but we’ll be looking out for Pearl Crescent butterflies in particular.

Turtlehead

With white, 2-lipped flowers that resemble turtle heads, the Turtlehead plant will bloom from July to September. Hummingbirds and butterflies are attracted to this species and it serves as a larval host to the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly.

False Sunflower

Flowering from July to September, the False Sunflower, also known as the Oxeye Sunflower, isn’t actually a sunflower at all. It will keep its petals on the flower heads, where true sunflowers will wither and fall away as they die. This plant not only attracts butterflies and other pollinators, but the birds will also use the seeds as food and beneficial insects will use the stems for cover during the winter.

Blue-Eyed Grass

This delicate purple native grass can be found throughout most of North America. Blue-Eyed Grass isn’t a pollinator plant but some believe that birds may eat the seeds. It is a beautiful addition to a native garden and blooms from June to July.

Throughout the summer, when possible, I will photograph the plants in bloom and you can keep track of ‘what’s blooming‘.