Five Ways to Get Started
- Plant perennials, shrubs, and trees that are native to Minnesota. Natives attract insects that nearly all songbirds rely on as their main food source and the only food source for their young.
- Click here to learn more: St. Paul Audubon Society ~ Go Native Guide
- Plant the same type of perennial in groups of at least three. Pollinators are drawn to the color and bumblebees, in particular, tend to forage on one type of plant at a time. Native perennials provide excellent sources of nectar for hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.
- Click here to learn more: Pollinators of Native Plants
- Provide a continuous succession of plants that flower from early spring until late fall. This supports pollinators throughout the growing season.
- Click here to learn more about native garden designs:https://nativegardendesigns.wildones.org and Spring-Fall Flowers — Heather Holm
- Support Monarch butterflies by planting milkweed native to Minnesota, such as Swamp Milkweed, Common Milkweed, and Butterfly Weed. Milkweed is the only thing that Monarch caterpillars eat and the only place where Monarch butterflies lay their eggs.Click here to learn more:
- Minnesota Milkweeds for Monarchs — The Vagary
- Do not use pesticides! They are indiscriminate and kill butterflies, bees, and the insects that birds eat and feed their young.
- The mosquito spraying services that people are using in their yards are PESTICIDES and are very harmful for all pollinators and bugs that are eaten by birds.
- Lawn alternative – This wildflower seed mix is great for pollinators and birds!
- Click here to learn more:MN Dept of Agriculture Best Practices for Yards and Gardens
Plant Information
Pollinators of Native Plants ~ PDF files under plant lists & posters. Best pollinator plants
Landscaping with Native Plants, (DNR)
Note: Several of the growers in the nursery section of this website, have detailed native plant lists on their sites with pictures and specifications
Planting For Pollinators
Note: Please Do Not Use Chemicals On Your Lawn Or Garden.
They Can Harm The Creatures You Are Trying To Protect
Restoring the Landscape with Native Plants
University of Minnesota Bee Lab
Wild Ones~Increase Vegetable Yields by Going Native
Natural Resources Conservation Services
Planting For Birds
St. Paul Audubon Society ~ Go Native Guide
Audubon Society Native Plants for Birds by Zip Code
Buckthorn: What You Should Know. What You Can Do ~
Note: treating the stumps is controversial.
Digging them up or grinding them is preferable. Herbicides can be harmful for pollinators.
Books
Pollinators of Native Plants ~ Heather Holm ~ Includes detailed guides of sample gardens
Feed the Monarch ~ Xerces Society
Monarch Butterflies ~ Ann Hobbie
Bees: An Identification and Native Plant Forage Guide ~ Heather Holms
Searching for Minnesota’s Native Wildflowers ~ Phyllis Root and Kelly Provo
Garden Revolution ~ Larry Weaner
A New Garden Ethic ~ Benjamin Vogt
Native Plants of the Midwest ~ Alan Branhagen
The Midwestern Native Garden ~ Charlotte Adelman
Attracting Native Pollinators ~ The Xerces Society
Feed the Bees ~ The Xerces Society
Gardening for Butterflies ~ The Xerces Society
A Field Guide to the Natural World of the Twin Cities ~ John Moriarty
Landscaping with Native Plants of Minnesota ~ Lynn Steiner
Befriending Bumble Bees ~ Elaine Evans, Ian Burns, Marla Spivak
Beautifully Sustainable ~ Douglas Owens-Pike
Birdscaping in the Midwest: A Guide to Gardening with Native Plants to Attract Birds
~ Mariette Nowak
The Backyard Bird- Lovers Guide ~ Jan Mahnken
Monarchs in a Changing World ~ Karen Oberhauser
Moths & Caterpillars of the North Woods ~ Jim Sogaard
A Lawn Chair Gardener’s Guide to a Balanced Life ~ Dawn Pape
Midwestern Birds: Backyard Guide ~ Bill Thompson
Landscaping for Wildlife ~ Carrol Henderson
Bringing Nature Home ~ Douglas Tallamy
Featured photo courtesy of Heather Holm
Minnesota Native Intelligence 