Your Home, Garden and Travel

Keep the bees alive. Don't use insecticide.

Let's give 'em something to buzz about. A variety of flowers attracts pollinators. Agastache, butterfly bush, cleome,liatris, rose campion, coneflowers, Russian sage and bee balm in bloom. June 2011.

In our busy bee lives, we sometimes miss important announcements. A special thanks to Gail at Clay and Limestone for publicizing National Pollinator Week (June 20-26 20110).

Pollinating is not just for bees. Ants, birds, butterflies, moths, wasps—and even wind and water are pollinators. Keeping chemicals out of the garden not only helps the insects but helps prevent pollution of our natural water sources and the air we breathe.

Everyone loves hummingbirds and growing monarda (bee balm) and salvia is a great way to attract the little sippers to your garden. Other hummingbird favorites include rose campion, cleome, agastache and zinnias.

The clearwing hummingbird moth (click link for my best picture) is one of the most fascinating pollinators to me. In the evenings, these moths are easily spotted in my garden.

A hummingbird and monarda (bee balm) 'Jacob Cline'. The oakleaf hollies in the background are covered by honeybees during early spring bloom.

A clearwing hummingbird moth returns for an encore performance. Butterfly bushes are great food sources for all flying pollinators. Hemaris thysbe on a buddleia. June 2011.

Of course, everyone loves to watch beautiful butterflies and I grow Three Wonderful Weeds to attract, feed and host butterflies in my garden. What Butterflies Want is Joe Pye Weed, so I added more of that favorite to my garden this year.

Gardeners—spread the word! Tell non-gardening friends, family and neighbors about the importance of pollinators.

Butterflies want Joe Pye Weed! Summer 2010.

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel.All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.