Nebbie Williams Pollinator Garden

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A pollinator garden is planted mainly with plants that provide food and/or shelter for bees, butterflies, moths, and birds - animals that pollinate flowers.  Pollinators are essential to a healthy ecosystem.  One out of every three bites of food we eat is there because of pollinators!

The plants in this front bed are planted with pollinators in mind.  Most of them are drought tolerant perennials that bloom throughout the growing season.  We never spray with pesticides or herbicides.

1. Texas Sage: Texas Sage "desperado" is a small native evergreen shrub with lavender flowers (particularly after rain) that provide nectar for bees and butterflies.
2. Dwarf Crepe Myrtle: Dwarf Crepe Myrtle provides nectar for bees.
3. Rock Rose: Rock Rose is a small native shrub with pink flowers that provide nectar and attract hummingbirds. 
4. Black-eyed Susan: Black-eyed Susan provides nectar and seeds for birds. It is also a host plant* for silvery checkerspot and bordered patch butterflies.    *A host plant is a plant upon which butterflies or moths lay their eggs.  The caterpillars then eat the leaves of the host plant. They grow, form a chrysalis or cocoon, and transform into an adult butterfly or moth.
5. Zexmenia:  Zexmenia provides nectar, and is a host plant for the bordered patch butterfly.
6. Purple Coneflower:  Purple Coneflower provides nectar, and seeds for birds.  Its stems provide nest sites for cavity nesting bees and hibernating spots for the winter.
7. Snapdragon:  Snapdragon provides nectar, and is a host plant for the buckeye butterfly.
8. Gregg's Mist Flower: Gregg's Mist Flower provides nectar. It is a fall favorite of numerous butterflies, super easy to grow, and easy to pull up if it spreads more than desired.
9. Zinnia:  Zinnia provide nectar.  It is easy to grow from seeds and comes in several different types of colors and heights.
10. Henry Duelberg Salvia: Henry Duelberg Salvia (a variety of mealy cup sage) provides nectar and attracts hummingbirds.