Pollination is the main event in seed production to produce new plants, but it's a risky event at best.  Pollination from plant to plant requires a third party to transfer pollen from a stamen (male) to the pistil (female) part of the flower.

Wind and insects like bees, butterflies, moths, flies and some birds are great pollinators to recruit to your garden.  Pollination is haphazard – so the more you attract, the better. 

Get a buzz going in your garden with a menu of bright colored, fragrant flowers loaded with nectar and pollen.  These host plants welcome the pollinators who rub against the sticky pollen while feeding on the sweet nectar.  When they fly to another flower, some of the pollen rubs off on the new plant’s stigma, fertilizing the plant for reproducing seeds.

Flat-faced blossoms like sunflowers, zinnias, marigolds and dahlias provide a cushiony landing pad for bees and butterflies.  Tubular flowers like petunias, honeysuckle, hollyhocks, squash and pumpkins attract bees that enjoy crawling in to the deep throat of the flower to dine on nectar and gather pollen.  Pesky plants like dandelions and white cover that we often label as weeds are also popular menu items.

Stage your plants so that some are always in bloom.  Native and heirloom plants are better than hybrid plants for producing good nectar and pollen.  Masses of flowers make it easier for pollinators to feed and attract greater numbers.

To attract pollinators, avoid pesticides.  They’re at the top of the blame list for the severe decrease in the bee population.  As the world’s human population has increased, the bee population has decreased.  Many pesticides are non-specific.  So if you kill one kind, you kill them all.  Instead, handpick unwanted pests or use a blast of water from the garden hose to wash them off the plant.  A tip from the Amish is to create a perimeter of colorful, fragrant flowers around your vegetable garden to divert birds and other pests from your vegetables.

Plant your own field of dreams.  Plant it and the pollinators will come – almost like magic.  Check with local nurseries for the best selections for your region.

Suggested plants for a bee-utiful and productive garden:

Flowers
Asters                Dahlias                Poppies
Buttercups        Echinacea           Roses
Clematis            Geraniums         Sedum
Clover                Hollyhocks        Sunflowers
Cosmos              Marigolds            Zinnias

Garden Plants
Blackberries            Pumpkins
Cantaloupe              Raspberries
Cucumbers              Squash
Okra                         Strawberries
Peppers                    Watermelons

Herbs
Bee balm                   Lavender
Borage                       Rosemary
Cilantro                     Sage
Fennel                       Thyme

Shrubs, Trees and Vines
Butterfly bush                  Honeysuckle
Catalpa                              Magnolia
Clematis                            Privet
Fruit trees                        Pyracantha
Golden Rain Tree            Trumpet vine