How your Garden can Help the Ecosystem

Nothing quite says summer like a garden full of beautiful flowers and vegetable patches. But your garden does much more than boost your home’s curb appeal — it plays a vital role in supporting your local ecosystem by attracting pollinators.

Planting a pollinator-friendly garden will not only help protect endangered insects like honey bees, but it will also combat the effects of climate change by supporting wildlife and allowing native plants to thrive.

Here are five tips to ensure your garden benefits the environment.

1. When shopping, buy plants with different blooming periods to attract bees throughout the growing season.

2. Bees and pollinators are most attracted to purple, yellow, white and blue flowers with single, fragrant blooms.

3. Keep your garden healthy for pollinators by using compost or natural fertilizer in place of harmful insecticides.

4. When adding water features, opt for a shallow dish filled with rocks instead of a deep birdbath. This way insects won’t drown when stopping for water.

5. Resist the urge to prune dandelions in the early spring. (I know it’s hard!) These weeds will help bees start the season with a food source when there are few others available.