Spring, Summer & Fall
Ensure a full season buffet! Spring and fall are really tough for pollinators to find food. Make sure you have early blooms and late blooms to feed the hungry bees and butterflies. Summer is pollinator party time, so plant away! Some winners..
Spring: Galanthus nivalis | Snowdrops & Aquilegia canadensis | Wild Columbine
Summer: Rudbekia hirta, Echinacea, Asclepias | Milkweed, Eupatorium, Agastache…
Fall: Symphyotrichum novae-angliae | New England Aster & Helenium autumnale | Autumn Sneezeweed.
Pollen, Nectar & Host
Native plants offer plenty of pollen (proteins) and nectar (calories) specifically for Montreal’s pollinators. But, many species needs “host” plants to give them special nutrition! Monarch caterpillars can only grow on milkweed (their host)! Make sure you have at least one milkweed patch and plant as many “host” plants as you can!
3+ plants each
Our pollinators are tiny! Planting 3 plants of each type in your yard means they don’t use up all their energy to find their next meal.
Other ways to help pollinators:
Don’t spray pesticides, leave your yard as messy as you can (the bees are nesting there!), prioritize native plants & get involved to encourage neighbours & work to preserve habitat!