Creating Your Own Pollinator Paradise

Part 1: Designing a Sunny & Dry Pollinator Garden

Spring is just around the corner, and there’s no better time to start planning your pollinator garden! At the Wisconsin Bee Company, we’re dedicated to helping you support native pollinators like mason bees, leafcutter bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. This three-part blog series will guide you through planning, planting, and maintaining different types of pollinator patches tailored to Wisconsin landscapes. In Part 1, we focus on creating a garden ideal for sunny and dry conditions.

Purple Coneflowers are a native flower that just happen to be a favorite among many pollinators and birds!

Why a Sunny & Dry Pollinator Garden?

Not every yard has rich, moist soil or partial shade. Some of the best garden spaces are those that receive full sunlight and have sandy, well-drained soil. These areas are perfect for a wide range of native plants that are not only drought-tolerant but also incredibly attractive to pollinators.

Dry, sunny gardens mimic native prairie and savanna ecosystems. By using plants adapted to these environments, you can create a sustainable, low-maintenance landscape that supports biodiversity and provides food and shelter for pollinators from early spring to late fall.

Featured Plants for Sunny & Dry Gardens

Here are seven native plants we recommend for a vibrant and effective sunny pollinator patch:

Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum muticum)
- This powerhouse blooms mid-to-late summer, attracting a huge variety of bees and butterflies. The foliage has a lovely minty scent and also deters deer.
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
- With its bright purple petals and sturdy stalks, this plant is beloved by both pollinators and gardeners. It’s drought-resistant and self-seeds easily.
Threadleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata)
- A long-blooming, cheerful yellow flower that provides essential pollen for native bees.
Smooth Blue Aster (Aster laevis)
- Late-blooming and attractive to bumblebees and other fall foragers.
Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)
- A multi-season shrub with spring flowers, fall color, and red berries. It supports early-emerging pollinators.
Hollow Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium fistulosum)
- A tall, showy plant with purple flower clusters that attracts butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects.
Moss Phlox (Phlox subulata)
- This low-growing groundcover blooms early and helps fill in the front of your garden with color and habitat.

Considerations for Planting

Soil Type: These plants thrive in sandy or loamy soils with good drainage. Avoid overly rich, moist soil as it can lead to root rot for many drought-adapted species.

Sunlight: Choose an area that receives at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day.

Spacing: Plant in groupings of 3-5 per species to create drifts that are more attractive to pollinators. Keep taller plants like Joe-Pye Weed and Red Chokeberry toward the back or center, and shorter species like Moss Phlox in the front.

Timing: Spring and early fall are the best times to plant. Native plants may take a year or two to fully establish but are worth the wait!

Watering: Water regularly during the first season to establish roots, then reduce watering. These plants are well-suited to drier conditions once established.

Bringing the Garden to Life

A pollinator garden doesn’t need to be huge to be effective. Even a 10x10 foot patch can support a wide variety of beneficial insects. For inspiration, we’ve included a sample garden diagram based on our recommended plant list. This layout prioritizes visual appeal, seasonal bloom succession, and ease of maintenance. Height is an important factor to consider in any garden. Red Choke Berry and Hollow Joe-Pye anchor this garden with tall growth while Moss Phlox and Coreopsis will spread out and grow close to the ground.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of our blog series, where we’ll explore pollinator garden planning for sunny and moist locations like rain gardens or areas near downspouts.

Let’s get planting, Wisconsin!