Picking plants for a thriving garden
April 2025
An orange coneflower (Echinacea purpurea ‘Big Kahuna’) being visited by a metallic sweat bee. (photo by Beth Burrell)
by Beth Burrell, Contributing Columnist
With over 40 years of gardening experience, I pursue perennials that attract the best pollinators — native bees, butterflies, birds, honeybees and moths. Many flowers provide enticing nectar and pollen, acting as magnets for beneficial insects. My favorite perennials not only showcase stunning blooms but also attract various helpful pollinators, are excellent for cutting, and thrive in both full sun and partial shade.
I plan my plantings season by season to ensure a vibrant display of color and variety from spring to late fall. While I incorporate some native plants in my garden, I enjoy blending them with native cultivars and non-native species, prioritizing their performance and the beneficial insects they attract.
A key planting for April is the Cottage Pink (Dianthus gratianopolitanus ‘Firewitch’), which showcases bright magenta flowers atop clumps of grassy gray foliage, shining from April through early June and attracting emerging swallowtail butterflies, as well as visits from native bees, hoverflies and hummingbirds. Moreover, Cottage Pinks produce a delightful fragrance, and their evergreen foliage looks outstanding year-round.
Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds accumulate frequent flyer miles during their many visits to Meadow Sage (Salvia nemorosa ‘Blue Hill’). This heat- and humidity-tolerant perennial bursts into bloom in May with abundant spikes of true-blue tubular flowers that continue to flower into September.
Large white flowers of Shasta daisies are easy landing pads for native mining bees. (photo by Beth Burrell)
Shasta daisies, featuring large, at white flowers, are perfect landing pads for pollinators. (Leucanthemum superbum ‘Becky’) boasts 3-foot stems, while the shorter (Leucanthemum ‘Snow Lady’) reaches just 20 inches. These vibrant blooms create a buffet for butterflies, attracting species like the painted lady and eastern tiger swallowtail.
I introduce annuals like lantana and zinnia as summer progresses, which thrive from summer into fall. My favorite visitor is the enchanting hummingbird moth, which dances through my garden and can remarkably visit thousands of flowers daily to meet its high-energy needs.
From June into August, coneflowers and black-eyed Susans take center stage, competing for the attention of beneficial insects and birds with their flowers and seeds. The orange coneflower (Echinacea purpurea ‘Big Kahuna’) stands out with its dark rust center and vibrant orange mango petals, while black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida ‘American Gold Rush’) keeps the excitement alive.
Both are abundant in nectar and pollen, attracting bumblebees, parasitic wasps, honeybees, and various butterflies and hummingbirds. As their flowers mature, they yield plenty of seeds for gold finches, sparrows and chickadees to enjoy. By planting these carefully chosen perennials and annuals, we nurture a vibrant ecosystem that supports local biodiversity and ensures essential pollinators keep buzzing.
Beth Burrell holds degrees in landscape design and ornamental horticulture. Her family gardens have been featured on the TV show Home Grown.
Fall flowering Joe Pye weed (Eupatorium perfoliatum) may have up to 20 different insects gathering its nectar at the same time. (photo by Beth Burrell)