Native Pollinator Garden Kit for Sunny Sites - 2024 Edition
We have 40 million acres of turf grass in the U.S. — 40 million acres of wasted space. Turn that sunny piece of property into a haven for butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other beneficial beings.
This kit features drought-tolerant native perennials that love the sun. We chose species that will bring color (and nectar) from spring through fall.
The kits include 25 individual plants, which will fill a 25 square-foot bed (5' x 5'). Consider adding a native grass for a functional, beautiful mini meadow.
Each plant comes as a 5” deep root landscape plug, an economical way to establish a garden from scratch at a fraction of the cost of buying full-sized plants. We hear every year how shocked customers are at how quickly the plants take off.
The Details
5 specimens of each perennial species native to our region
100% South Jersey grown
100% neonicotinoid pesticide free
Waste-conscious packaging
Transported via our plugin hybrid van
The Plants
Threadleaf Coreopsis - Coreopsis verticillata 'Zagreb'
Blooms: Deep Yellow, March - August
Height: 1’ - 2’
This early blooming coreopsis attracts songbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators, and is smaller than straight verticillata but performs well from a pollinator perspective because its shade of yellow doesn’t stray far from the straight species. This cultivar also does well in heat and heavy clay soil, making it a good selection for our conditions.
Garden Phlox - Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’
Blooms: Pink, July through September
Height: 3-5’
When Mt. Cuba Center studied phlox species to determine ecological value and other qualities such as bloom time and resistance to powdery mildew, ‘Jeana’ was the clear winner. According to Mt. Cuba, it was found growing along the Harpeth River in Nashville by Jeana Prewitt, hence its name. “We found ‘Jeana’ attracted more butterflies than any other garden phlox in the entire trial. With a top rank in both horticultural and ecological evaluations, Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’ is hard to beat.”
Rudbeckia fulgida v. fulgida
Blooms: August-October
Height: 2-2.5 feet
A Keystone Species for its critical benefit to local ecologies, this is a favorite of ours and (we think) under-appreciated oddly wbecause it’s more well known. Sprays of bright yellow flowers lasting well into the fall provide nectar and seed for butterflies and birds, respectively. There are several species commonly called Black-eyed Susan - this one is among the hardiest, is reliably perennial, and has the longest bloom time.
Short-toothed Mountain Mint - Pycnanthemum muticum
Blooms: White/green, August - September
Height: 2-3’
An absolute pollinator magnet that’s a gorgeous and necessary addition to every habitat garden, mountain mint also happens to repel deer, rabbits, and the like. In the 2013 Penn State Extension Service Pollinator Trial, this species ranked first for longevity of blooms and diversity of pollinators. It also attracted the greatest number of insects of any plant. Plus, it smells great to us humans.
Smooth Blue Aster - Aster laevis
Blooms: August - October
Height: 2-3 feet
A beautiful, fall blooming critical nectar source for pollinators including Monarchs. Plant these in your garden instead of mums and pair them with goldenrod for a stunning fall garden. Native asters are Keystone Species that support over 100 different beneficial insects.
