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.
A close-up shows a person holding a Honeymoon® 'French Kiss' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) with pale purple petals, dark purple edges, and clustered white and dark purple stamens; the background has blurred people and shaded gardens - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of Honeymoon® 'French Kiss' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) flowers featuring pale white and purple petals with yellow-green centers and fine purple veining, ideal for brightening shade gardens - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'French Kiss' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99
Close-up of Living Large® Big Sky Perennial Salvia features tall spikes of purple-blue flowers on green stems and leaves, blooming outdoors in bright sunlight - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A lush garden bed showcases Living Large® Big Sky Perennial Salvia, a large bush with dense spikes of vibrant purple-blue flowers and green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Living Large® Big Sky Perennial Salvia

$19.99
$19.99

A close-up of Superbena Royale® Romance Verbena shows vibrant red blooms with white centers and lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Superbena Royale® Romance Verbena features clusters of vibrant red, five-petaled blooms with lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Superbena Royale® Romance Verbena

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of delicate White Eyes fuchsia flowers with pink and white petals, long pink stamens, and water droplets, surrounded by green leaves - Photo Courtesy of PixabayWhite Eyes Fuchsia features red and white flowers hanging from green foliage, with buds and full blooms - Photo Courtesy of Pixabay

White Eyes Fuchsia

$10.99
$10.99
Decadence® 'Vanilla Cream II' False Indigo (Baptisia) has dense green foliage, tall stems with creamy white flower clusters, oval alternate leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Decadence® 'Vanilla Cream II' False Indigo (Baptisia) is a large, bushy plant with upright green stems and clusters of small pale white flowers at the tips, set among leafy greenery for outdoor gardens - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Decadence® 'Vanilla Cream II' False Indigo (Baptisia)

$19.79
$21.99 $19.79

Top-down view of green leaves with cream variegation and reddish stems on Paisley Pup® Doghobble (Leucothoe), a broadleaf evergreen shrub. The pointed foliage and fresh growth stand out against a natural backdrop - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCClose-up of overlapping green, white, and pink varigated leaves of Paisley Pup® Doghobble (Leucothoe) - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Paisley Pup® Doghobble (Leucothoe)

$22.99
$22.99

A cluster of Uptick™ Gold & Bronze Tickseed (Coreopsis) displays bright yellow petals with red centers among green foliage in bright sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of Uptick™ Gold & Bronze Tickseed (Coreopsis) blooms in a garden bed, its yellow and red flowers vibrant among green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Uptick™ Gold & Bronze Tickseed (Coreopsis)

$17.99
$17.99

Close-up of a cluster of 'Sweet Summer Love' Sweet Autumn Clematis, with fragrant violet-red, star-shaped blooms and yellow centers among green leaves and buds in sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A dense cluster of 'Sweet Summer Love' Sweet Autumn Clematis, with violet-red and white blooms amid green leaves, is bathed in sunlight that highlights their vibrant colors in a fragrant clematis garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Sweet Summer Love' Sweet Autumn Clematis

$22.99
$22.99

Rock Candy® Ruby Beardtongue (Penstemon) is a compact perennial with clusters of vibrant magenta-red and white tubular flowers, set among narrow green leaves, perfect for garden beds - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.Close-up of Rock Candy® Ruby Beardtongue (Penstemon), a compact perennial featuring vibrant magenta-red blooms clustered atop tall, leafy stems, set against soft green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

Rock Candy® Ruby Beardtongue (Penstemon)

$17.99
$17.99

A close-up of Wedding Party® 'Black Tie Affair' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) shows pale double petals edged in purple with dark veins, green leaves, and yellow stamens - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A hand holds the Wedding Party® 'Black Tie Affair' Lenten Rose (Helleborus), a shade perennial with green leaves and two layered dark purple and white flowers featuring showy yellow stamens - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Wedding Party® 'Black Tie Affair' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of the Sombrero® Adobe Orange Coneflower (Echinacea) with bright orange petals with a spiky green-and-orange center atop green leaves and stems - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of vibrant Sombrero® Adobe Orange Coneflower (Echinacea) with spiky brown centers blooms among green leaves and wildflowers in a garden setting - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Sombrero® Adobe Orange Coneflower (Echinacea)

$19.99
$19.99

Close-up of Color Spires® 'Violet Riot' Perennial Salvia features tall, purple blooms and green foliage that grow densely in gardens, creating a vibrant and colorful display - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Top-down view of Color Spires® 'Violet Riot' Perennial Salvia features tall spikes of vibrant purple blooms above lush green foliage, creating a striking, textured display that is eye-catching - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Color Spires® 'Violet Riot' Perennial Salvia

$18.99
$18.99
Close-up of ‘Rays For Days’ False Sunflower (Heliopsis) features bright yellow double blooms with dense, layered petals set against lush green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A thriving clump of Rays For Days' False Sunflower (Heliopsis) displays bright yellow blooms and lush green leaves in a mulched, pollinator-friendly garden, set against a backdrop of grass - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Rays For Days' False Sunflower (Heliopsis)

$13.99
$19.99 $13.99
Close-up of Designer Threads® 'Creamy Calico' Thread Leaf Coreopsis features clusters of yellow flowers with deep red centers, thin green leaves, and red-streaked petals - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A dense cluster of Designer Threads® 'Creamy Calico' Thread Leaf Coreopsis, a deer-resistant perennial with small yellow flowers and dark red centers, grows in light brown wood chips, its delicate petals and green stems attracting bees and butterflies - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Designer Threads® 'Creamy Calico' Thread Leaf Coreopsis

$18.99
$18.99
Sunbini® Creeping Zinnia (Sanvitalia) features bright yellow, daisy-like blooms with green centers amid dense, dark green foliage. This heat-tolerant plant offers a vibrant display of buds and blossoms - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA cluster of Sunbini® Creeping Zinnia (Sanvitalia), with bright yellow blooms and green leaves, fills the frame in a vibrant, cheerful display - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Sunbini® Creeping Zinnia (Sanvitalia)

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of Garden Girls® 'Glamour Girl' Tall Garden Phlox features vibrant coral pink blooms with lush green foliage, thrives in bright sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A dense cluster of coral pink Garden Girls® 'Glamour Girl' Tall Garden Phlox blooms amid green foliage and tall grass on a sunny day - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Garden Girls® 'Glamour Girl' Tall Garden Phlox

$19.99
$19.99

Close-up of Onion' Chives (Allium) with round purple flower heads and tall green stems, surrounded by more blossoms and foliage - Photo Courtesy of Burpee

Onion' Chives (Allium)

$9.99
$9.99
Tall plants with deep green and purple leaves, including the vibrant Starship™ Scarlet Bronze Leaf Cardinal Flower (Lobelia), bloom in a mulched garden bed with green grass in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Clusters of vibrant red Starship™ Scarlet Bronze Leaf Cardinal Flower (Lobelia) bloom among dark purple-green leaves in a mulched garden bed, with green grass visible in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Starship™ Scarlet Bronze Leaf Cardinal Flower (Lobelia)

$17.99
$17.99

Close-up of Color Spires® 'Pink Dawn' Perennial Salvia showcases tall, spiky purple-pink flower stems and green serrated leaves, standing out against a blurred garden background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of Color Spires® 'Pink Dawn' Perennial Salvia features tall spikes of pink-purple, drought-tolerant, tubular blossoms densely arranged on upright stems, with green leafy foliage in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Color Spires® 'Pink Dawn' Perennial Salvia

$17.09
$18.99 $17.09

'Montgomery' Japanese Astilbe displays bright red flower clusters above glossy, serrated green leaves, standing out as a striking perennial for shady gardens - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.‘Montgomery’ Japanese Astilbe features tall, deep red feathery blooms above green foliage, creating a striking shade garden display. It stands out beautifully against blurred greenery and red-toned backgrounds - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Montgomery' Japanese Astilbe

$18.99
$18.99

A tall spike of Delphina™ 'Light Blue White Bee' Hybrid Bee Delphinium flowers rises among green leaves and white buds, with more compact delphiniums softly blurred in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of a tall stem of Delphina™ 'Light Blue White Bee' Hybrid Bee Delphinium, featuring pale blue and white flowers surrounded by green foliage in a garden or greenhouse setting - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Delphina™ 'Light Blue White Bee' Hybrid Bee Delphinium

$17.99
$17.99

Several large, vibrant purple flowers with pointed petals and yellow centers bloom on 'Jackmanii' Clematis vines, surrounded by green leaves—creating a striking focal point for vertical gardens - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A vibrant purple 'Jackmanii' Clematis flower with four broad petals and a yellow-white center blooms among green vines and stems in a vertical garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Jackmanii' Clematis

$20.99
$20.99

A cluster of small, star-shaped white lilac flowers with green leaves resembles the elegant Bloomerang Showmound® Reblooming Lilac (Syringa), admired for its beauty. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Top-down view of the Bloomerang Showmound® Reblooming Lilac (Syringa) is a small, bushy shrub with green leaves and clusters of white lilac blooms in a mulched garden bed beside grassy areas. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Bloomerang Showmound® Reblooming Lilac (Syringa)

$33.59
$41.99 $33.59
A close-up of a vibrant pink 'Texensis Princess Diana' Clematis bloom with five petals, surrounded by green leaves. The tulip-shaped flower stands out, while a partially visible white flower appears at the bottom of the image - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.The 'Texensis Princess Diana' Clematis features vibrant pink and magenta, tulip-shaped flowers with yellow stamens that bloom among green foliage on this compact flowering vine - Photo Courtesy of Donahue's Clematis

'Texensis Princess Diana' Clematis

$20.99
$20.99

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.