It’s Pollinator Week, one of my favourite times of year! It’s no secret that I’m very attached to pollinators, and believe it’s incredibly important to make them feel as comfortable and at home in your garden as possible. In celebration of both Pollinator Week and everything these important garden helpers do for us, let’s look at how we can do just that by focusing on some of my favourite pollinator-attracting shrubs sure to bring flocks of hummingbirds, butterflies, and more to your backyard this summer!
It’s actually pretty easy to attract hummingbirds and other pollinators to your garden. As long as they feel safe in your yard and have plenty to eat and drink, they’ll make themselves right at home. Planting evergreens to block the wind helps with this, as does providing them with a clean, easily-accessible water source. Once you’ve made their habitat all safe and cozy, it’s time to plant your pollinator buffet!
Shrubs offer countless benefits to your landscape and provide hummingbirds and other local pollinators with ample food sources. Here are a few of my personal favourites that I highly recommend adding to your garden this year.
Weigela is easily recognizable by its gorgeous red (or pink) flowers that are absolute hummingbird magnets. This incredible shrub comes in countless varieties, many of which feature uniquely coloured foliage, from purple to variegated white with green and everything in between. Weigela thrives in full sun conditions, but a bit of shade won’t hurt it too much. Wherever you plant it, hummingbirds and other pollinators will follow, attracted to this shrub’s rich nectar content and lovely red flowers!
I’m a sucker for edible plants in landscapes, and blueberry shrubs are some of my favourites. Not only are their white to pink flowers absolutely stunning, but they also attract bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other key local pollinators. Even better, once your pollinators have done their job, you’ll be snacking on fresh, juicy blueberries all summer long. Come fall, your blueberry plant’s leaves will change colour, adding another layer of beauty to your landscape. Blueberry shrubs truly do it all!
The pink-to-red hue of sedum flowers makes them excellent for attracting hummingbirds. This hardy plant may not technically be a shrub, but its upright form and bushy growth pattern mean you can absolutely use them similarly in your landscape. Most importantly, our little pollinator friends adore them. Plant sedum near your patio or porch and watch the hummingbirds and butterflies flock to the lovely flower stalks.
These classic landscape shrubs may not be the most attractive options for some, but they’re classics for a reason. Boxwoods and other evergreens provide plenty of shelter for bees, hummingbirds, and other pollinators, providing them with a safe space to perch and rest their busy wings. Best of all, these evergreen shrubs flower relatively early, providing pollinators with a crucial early-season food source.
The butterfly bush comes by its name, honestly—butterflies simply can’t get enough of them! This stunning shrub is also absolutely loaded with nectar, making it an excellent food source for hummingbirds. The long, lilac-like blooms of butterfly bushes come in hues of lavender, magenta, and white, so there’s a variety for you, regardless of your landscape palette. When your neighbours see the clouds of butterflies and hummingbirds gathering around these heavenly shrubs, they’ll be inspired to create a pollinator garden of their very own. What better way to celebrate Pollinator Week than by starting that kind of trend?
Perfect for a pollinator-friendly hedge, New Jersey tea is an incredibly attractive shrub with ethereal white blooms that butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds all absolutely worship. Between their gorgeous flowers and heavenly scent, these plants make a great addition to any sun-rich spot in your garden.
The show-stopping snowball-like blooms of buttonbushes are truly unlike any other, and they also just so happen to be incredible for our native pollinators. This special shrub is native to Ontario and is the perfect choice for planting along the edge of your pond or in a low, moist area of your garden, as they adore water. The glossy leaves are a lovely addition to any landscape, and in the winter, their flowers develop into nutlets that are an excellent food source for native birds! In my humble opinion, adding a buttonbush to your Ontario landscape is truly a no-brainer.
Whether you’re working with Royal City Nursery’s Landscape Solutions to revamp your landscape, filling in an empty spot with a shrub, or just decorating your patio, we have all the pollinator-friendly shrubs and resources you’ll need to attract hummingbirds and other pollinators to your garden this summer. Come visit us at Royal City Nursery in Guelph, ON, today for all your garden needs!
