Buy Bee-Friendly Plants for a Pollinator-Friendly Garden

Adding bee-friendly plants is one of the simplest ways to make your garden more useful to pollinators while adding color, texture, and seasonal interest. Bees rely on flowers for nectar and pollen, and gardens with a variety of bloom times can provide food across more of the growing season.

At Garden Crossings, you can buy bee-friendly plants across annuals, perennials, and native selections chosen for strong garden performance and pollinator appeal. Look for nectar-rich flowers, long bloom windows, and a mix of shapes and colors to create a planting that is attractive to both gardeners and visiting bees.

A close-up of a bee collecting nectar on a cluster of vibrant orange flowers, with a blurred green background.
Close-up of blooming Sweet Romance® Lavender (Lavandula) with vibrant purple petals, set against green foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of a dense patch of Sweet Romance® Lavender (Lavandula), showing clusters of small purple flowers and green stems for a vibrant, textured look - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Sweet Romance® Lavender (Lavandula)

$17.99
$17.99

A cluster of blooming Supertunia® Tiara™ Blue Petunia with white centers and green leaves creates a striking, trailing ground cover against a background of beige siding - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A large decorative pot with lush green elephant ear leaves and vibrant Supertunia® Tiara™ Blue Petunia flowers sits on a porch in front of beige siding and a blue door with matching shutters - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.

Supertunia® Blue Tiara™ Petunia

$10.99
$10.99

Superbena Sparkling® Amethyst Verbena features clusters of vibrant violet and white, bi-colored flowers with white centers on green foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of drought-tolerant ground cover, Superbena Sparkling® Amethyst Verbena, with clusters of vibrant bi-colored violet and white flowers blooming amid green foliage and other purple blossoms - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Superbena Sparkling® Amethyst Verbena

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of Vermillionaire® Large Firecracker Plant (Cuphea) with clusters of tubular, orange-red, yellow-tipped blooms and lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA dense bush of Vermillionaire® Large Firecracker Plant (Cuphea) fills the frame, with dark green foliage and abundant tubular orange blooms clustered along thin stems - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Vermillionaire® Large Firecracker Plant (Cuphea)

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of tall flower spikes from Rockin'® Playin' the Blues® Salvia, featuring vibrant purple blooms and pale green stems. This drought-tolerant Blue Sage brings striking color to any garden against lush green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Tall stalks of Rockin'® Playin' the Blues® Salvia, a drought-tolerant plant with purple-blue blooms, rise among green foliage, set beside bushes and pink hydrangeas in a vibrant garden scene - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Rockin'® Playin' the Blues® Salvia

$10.99
$10.99

Clusters of bright orange Butterfly Weed Milkweed (Asclepias) flowers bloom above green, slender leaves, with buds still unopened—creating a dense, vibrant butterfly garden display - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Clusters of vivid orange Butterfly Weed Milkweed (Asclepias) flowers with narrow green leaves thrive in full sun - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Butterfly Weed Milkweed (Asclepias)

$17.99
$17.99

Close-up of a dense cluster of tall, purple-blue spikes of Denim 'n Lace' Russian Sage (Perovskia) rises among green foliage with blurred green and orange garden plants in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Tall stems of Denim 'n Lace' Russian Sage (Perovskia), a compact perennial, showcase clusters of small purple flowers and dense silvery-green foliage in the garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Denim 'n Lace' Russian Sage (Perovskia)

$18.99
$18.99

A cluster of vibrant purple Rockin'® Deep Purple Salvia with tubular petals and lush green leaves stands out among foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of vibrant Rockin'® Deep Purple Salvia flowers with tubular petals and dark stems, surrounded by green foliage. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Rockin'® Deep Purple Salvia

$10.99
$10.99

Lemon Coral® Sedum, a drought-tolerant and low-maintenance ground cover, grows among large gray and tan rocks near a small pond, creating a lush, natural landscape - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Bright pink flowers bloom above dark mulch, while a patch of yellow-green Lemon Coral® Sedum ground cover grows in the foreground - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Lemon Coral® Sedum

$10.99
$10.99

A large pink Summerific® 'Edge of Night' Rose Mallow (Hibiscus) flower features delicate veins, a yellow central stamen, and is set against dramatic black hibiscus foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Two large Summerific® 'Edge of Night' Rose Mallow (Hibiscus) blooms with red centers stand out against burgundy-green, almost black foliage and buds in a garden - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Summerific® 'Edge of Night' Rose Mallow (Hibiscus)

$13.29
$18.99 $13.29

A bee collects nectar from Meteor Shower® Verbena's lilac-purple clusters, surrounded by green stems and leaves with red flowers in the background on a sunny day - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Lilac-purple clusters of Meteor Shower® Verbena bloom on tall green stems against red and gray brick steps - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Meteor Shower® Verbena

$10.99
$10.99

A cluster of vibrant purple El Niño® Chitalpa flowers with ruffled petals and white-yellow centers blooms atop this drought-tolerant shrub, surrounded by green leaves against a softly blurred background. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCTall clusters of bright pink, ruffled flowers bloom among long, pointed green leaves on El Niño® Chitalpa, set against lush green foliage. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

El Niño® Chitalpa

$22.99
$22.99

Close-up of clusters of bright yellow flowers with narrow petals bloom among green leaves on 'Hello Yellow' Milkweed (Asclepias) - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A cluster of bright yellow 'Hello Yellow' Milkweed (Asclepias) flowers with green leaves fills the foreground, while blurred pink and pale yellow blooms brighten the background, creating a vibrant butterfly garden scene - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Hello Yellow' Milkweed (Asclepias)

$18.99
$18.99

Clusters of vibrant pink and yellow Luscious® Royale Cosmo Lantana blooms pair with dark purple foliage, set against green grass - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Luscious® Royale Cosmo Lantana features clusters of vibrant, drought-tolerant flowers in pink, yellow, and orange shades blooming among green leaves in bright sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.

Luscious® Royale Cosmo Lantana

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of five 'Rozanne' Cranesbill (Geranium) flowers with delicate veins bloom among lush green leaves, creating a charming, colorful groundcover that's perfect for enhancing any garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.‘Rozanne’ Cranesbill (Geranium) is a bushy perennial with abundant small purple flowers and green leaves, thriving as a groundcover in sunny garden spots - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Rozanne' Cranesbill (Geranium)

$18.99
$18.99

A close-up of a round cluster of small, purple flowers blooming on 'Millenium' Allium with slender green leaves and more blooms softly blurred in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A dense cluster of vibrant 'Millenium' Allium blooms among green foliage in a garden surrounded by trees and grass, all under a partly cloudy sky - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Millenium' Allium

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of dense, vibrant green 'Salem' Rosemary (Rosmarinus) with thin upright stems and small leaves growing closely together - Photo Courtesy of Burpee.Close-up of 'Salem' Rosemary (Rosmarinus) with narrow, needle-like green leaves, ideal for herb gardens, set against a soft yellow and green background - Photo Courtesy of Burpee.

Salem' Rosemary (Rosmarinus)

$10.99
$10.99
Unplugged® White Salvia features tall spikes of delicate white flowers and lush green leaves, forming dense clusters that brighten any pollinator garden. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A cluster of Unplugged® White Salvia stands tall behind red dahlias and small purple and white flowers, all set against a white background—perfect for creating a beautiful pollinator garden. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Unplugged® White Salvia

$10.99
$10.99
A dense cluster of Supertunia® Tiara™ Pink Petunia blooms brightly beside a paved path, with white flowers and green foliage in the background on a sunny day - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A vibrant cluster of Supertunia® Tiara™ Pink Petunia flowers, featuring white centers and lush green foliage, creates a colorful, eye-catching display - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Supertunia® Pink Tiara™ Petunia

$10.99
$10.99

Five vibrant orange Supreme™ 'Cantaloupe' Coneflower (Echinacea) perennials bloom among green leaves and scattered purple flowers in a garden - Photo Courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc.Five orange Supreme™ 'Cantaloupe' Coneflowers (Echinacea) with spiky centers bloom among green leaves and purple flowers, creating a vibrant garden display - Photo Courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc.

Supreme™ 'Cantaloupe' Coneflower (Echinacea)

$19.99
$19.99

A large white bloom of Summerific® 'Cookies and Cream' Rose Mallow (Hibiscus) with ruffled petals and a pale yellow center stands out against dark green and purple foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A large white Summerific® 'Cookies and Cream' Rose Mallow (Hibiscus) flower with a yellow stamen blooms amid dark green, purple-tinged leaves in sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Summerific® 'Cookies and Cream' Rose Mallow (Hibiscus)

$21.99
$21.99

Clusters of small, bell-shaped 'Pink-a-Blue' Lungwort (Pulmonaria) flowers in blue and pink bloom early in the season above green leaves speckled with white - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A dense bush of 'Pink-a-Blue' Lungwort (Pulmonaria) with green, spotted leaves and clusters of small funnel-shaped pink and blue flowers blooms early in the season, thriving in soil - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

'Pink-a-Blue' Lungwort (Pulmonaria)

$19.99
$19.99

A large Summerific® 'Ballet Slippers' Rose Mallow (Hibiscus) with white petals edged in light pink and a deep red center blooms among green leaves in an outdoor garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.The Summerific® 'Ballet Slippers' Rose Mallow (Hibiscus) features white petals with light pink edges and a deep red center, creating a stunning perennial display among green leaves in the summer garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Summerific® 'Ballet Slippers' Rose Mallow (Hibiscus)

$13.29
$18.99 $13.29

CLose-up of dense clusters of Aromagica™ Purple Heliotrope (Heliotropium) featuring fragrant purple blooms with yellow centers and dense green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Aromagica™ Purple Heliotrope (Heliotropium) features fragrant purple blooms above dense green foliage, creating a vibrant display against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Aromagica® Purple Heliotrope (Heliotropium)

$10.99
$10.99

Purple allium flowers blooming as bee-friendly plants for pollinators

What Are the Best Plants for Bees?

Some of the best plants for bees provide generous nectar or pollen and bloom for an extended period. Catmint, bee balm, lavender, allium, salvia, and other flowering plants are all represented in Garden Crossings’ bee-friendly collections.

For longer-lasting structure, browse our bee-friendly perennials. You can also explore native plants when you want varieties that can support native pollinators and other wildlife.

When choosing bee-loving plants, match them to your garden’s actual conditions. Sun exposure, soil moisture, mature size, and hardiness all matter just as much as flower color.

Pink salvia flowers blooming as bee-friendly plants for pollinators

Create a Garden Bees Can Visit All Season

If you’re wondering what plants attract bees, start by choosing several flowering varieties with overlapping bloom periods. A garden that offers something in spring, summer, and fall is generally more useful than one that flowers all at once.

You don’t need to redesign your entire yard. Even a small grouping of bee-friendly plants in an existing border or container can add valuable forage.

FAQs

Bees are drawn to many nectar- and pollen-rich flowers, including lavender, bee balm, catmint, salvia, and allium. Different bee species have different preferences, so plant diversity is helpful.

Both can be useful. Annuals can provide abundant seasonal color, while perennials return year after year when suited to your growing zone.

Yes. Native plants can be especially valuable because many native pollinators evolved alongside them.