National Pollinator Week is all the buzz at Pike Nurseries

Atlanta GA

21 June, 2021

3:21 PM

Description

Time to make a beeline for Pike Nurseries! The garden center specialists are helping green thumbs of all skill levels create a pollination oasis right in their own backyards. National Pollinator Week, June 21-27, is dedicated to the bees, butterflies, birds and other animals who help nourish our gardens as they carry pollen from plant to plant. These critters assist in bringing color to landscapes and bettering the environment through cross-fertilization that helps crops grow and flowers bloom. Gardeners can create the perfect environment to attract pollinators into their own garden with these tips from the Pike Nurseries experts: Food Fragrant and bright-colored flowers are particularly tasty and will have a diverse draw for pollinators! Hummingbirds and butterflies are most attracted to red, orange and purple, while bees tend to buzz towards yellow and blue. Flower shape is important as well: Hummingbirds and moths like tubular-shaped flowers such as salvia, while bees and butterflies prefer cluster blooms such as lantana which provide easy landing and feeding. Gardeners can stock their habitats with a variety of colors and flower shapes to appeal to a wide range of pollinators. Pike Nurseries recommends planting a mix of bee balm, butterfly bush, coneflowers, coreopsis, lantana, pentas, rudbeckia, salvia, verbena and yarrow. Butterflies also lay eggs on host plants, later hatching into caterpillars that feast on the host plants to gather strength for their transformation into butterflies. Including host plants such as dill, parsley, fennel and asclepias (also known as butterfly weed) will ensure butterflies linger in the habitat and keep the lifecycle going. Water Pollinators also need a water source. A bird bath is a great addition to a pollinator garden! Small saucers filled with pebbles or sand and water will ensure the smaller critters – butterflies and bees – can quench their thirst, too. Shelter Pollinators take shelter from storms and predators in trees, shrubs and ornamental grasses. Plants with large, wide foliage such as hydrangeas can provide cover to butterflies, and denser shrubs like hollies are natural sanctuaries for birds. Leave ornamental grasses and perennials standing through the cold months to provide overwintering shelter for bees and more. Bird houses and bug habitats also provide great nesting places all year round. For more information and care tips from Pike Nurseries, please visit pikenursery.com.