Guide to Creating a Pollinator-Friendly Garden

Transform your outdoor space into a thriving ecosystem for honey bees and other pollinators.

Why Create a Pollinator Garden?

Pollinators like honey bees, native bees, butterflies, and birds are essential for healthy ecosystems and food production. By designing a garden that supports them, you’re helping biodiversity, local food systems, and the environment.

Key Elements of a Pollinator-Friendly Garden

1. Choose Pollinator-Friendly Plants

• Select native and nectar-rich flowering plants.

• Plant in clusters to help bees forage efficiently.

• Include a variety of flower shapes and colours to attract different pollinators.

Top Picks for Australian Gardens:

• Grevillea

• Bottlebrush (Callistemon)

• Lavender

• Kangaroo Paw

• Eucalyptus

• Native daisies

2. Plan for Year-Round Blooms

Choose plants that flower in different seasons to provide continuous food:

3. Provide Water & Shelter

• Add a shallow water dish with stones for safe landing.

• Leave patches of bare ground for ground-nesting bees.

• Incorporate bee hotels or logs for shelter.

• Avoid using chemical pesticides and herbicides.

Create a Diverse Garden Space

• Include flowering herbs like rosemary, basil, and thyme.

• Grow fruits and vegetables that attract pollinators (tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries).

• Mix flowering shrubs, grasses, and trees for habitat variety.

Tips for Success

• Avoid hybrid plants with little nectar.

• Plant native species suited to your climate.

• Let some plants go to seed — pollinators love them!

Make a Difference

Your garden can be more than just beautiful — it can become a vital part of your local environment, supporting bees, butterflies, and other wildlife.

Start today and watch your garden come alive with buzzing pollinators!