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 a sginle Double Scoop™ Bubblegum Coneflower (Echinacea) from the side, featuring vibrant layered petals and a dense central disk, set against a plain gray background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Double Scoop™ Bubblegum Coneflower (Echinacea)

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of tall spikes of purple-blue flowers with dense blossoms rise above green foliage. Magic Show® 'Ever After' Spike Speedwell (Veronica) - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A cluster of Magic Show® 'Ever After' Spike Speedwell (Veronica) features slender purple-blue flower spikes and green lance-shaped leaves - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Magic Show® 'Ever After' Spike Speedwell (Veronica)

$18.99
$18.99
Close-up of Fun and Games® 'Hopscotch' Foamy Bells (Heucherella) leaves overlap in red, orange, and brown shades, highlighting jagged edges and textured surfaces - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of autumn-colored leaves in orange, red, and brown, of Fun and Games® 'Hopscotch' Foamy Bells (Heucherella), glistening with small water droplets - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Fun and Games® 'Hopscotch' Foamy Bells (Heucherella)

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of two Heuchera types: the top shows vivid pink leaves, while below are ruffled, nearly black Primo® 'Black Pearl' Coral Bells - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Primo® 'Black Pearl' Coral Bells (Heuchera) features dark leaves and tall stems topped with pinkish-white flowers along the garden bed edge, creating striking contrast beside green grass - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Primo® 'Black Pearl' Coral Bells (Heuchera)

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of numerous Stardiva™ Pink Fan Flower (Scaevola) blooms, each with five narrow petals and small green leaves. These densely clustered annual pink flowers create a vibrant, textured floral display - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A ceramic pot filled with lush green foliage and abundant star-shaped pink blooms features the charming Stardiva™ Pink Fan Flower (Scaevola) in full bloom - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Stardiva® Pink Fan Flower (Scaevola)

$10.99
$10.99
A close-up of 'Silver Moon' Clematis, a shade-loving variety with large silvery-mauve flowers featuring six broad petals and yellow stamens, set among green leaves and bamboo stakes in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of 'Silver Moon' Clematis in bloom shows six large silvery-mauve petals and yellow stamens at the center, all set against lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Silver Moon' Clematis

$20.99
$20.99

The 'Ville De Lyon' Clematis features vibrant purple-pink, six-petaled reblooming flowers with pale yellow stamens at the center, set against lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A hand holds a vibrant 'Ville De Lyon' Clematis flower with six magenta petals and yellow stamens, set against green leaves and garden fencing - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Ville De Lyon' Clematis

$19.99
$19.99

Mojave® Red Purslane (Portulaca) features bright red blooms with yellow centers, highlighted by nearby vibrant purple flowers and lush green foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Mojave® Red Purslane (Portulaca) displays clusters of vibrant red and orange blooms with yellow centers above green, rounded leaves. This flowering succulent creates a striking contrast with its open, densely packed blossoms - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Mojave® Red Purslane (Portulaca)

$10.99
$10.99
Close-up of a large, pale pink Pink Chiffon® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus) bloom with delicate petals and water droplets, surrounded by green leaves on this beautiful flowering shrub. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA close-up of the Pink Chiffon® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus) in full bloom, displaying soft, ruffled petals with delicate shading and subtle texture, set against lush green leaves. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Pink Chiffon® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus)

$22.99
$22.99

Tall green stems topped with vibrant, deep purple Starship™ Blue Cardinal Flower (Lobelia) blooms thriving amid greenery and mulch - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Close-up of vivid Starship™ Blue Cardinal Flower (Lobelia) blooms on tall green stems, perfect for attracting hummingbirds, with flower buds and soft-focus foliage in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Starship™ Blue Cardinal Flower (Lobelia)

$17.99
$17.99

Two vibrant orange flowers with yellow centers of the Happy Face® Orange Potentilla stand out against lush green foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Happy Face® Orange Potentilla displays clusters of small orange blooms with yellow, shown here bathed in natural sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Happy Face® Orange Potentilla

$22.99
$22.99

A large, dense 'Grape Crush' New England Aster covered in vibrant purple blooms grows beside pink flowers and green grass, with wood mulch at its base - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A close up of a cluster of vivid purple 'Grape Crush' New England Aster blooms with slender petals and dark centers, set among green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Grape Crush' New England Aster

$18.99
$18.99

A hand holds a Honeymoon® 'Swiss Alps' Lenten Rose (Helleborus), its white petals with dark maroon centers and creamy yellow stamens contrasted against green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'Swiss Alps' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$21.99
$21.99

Close up of the Bright pink Starship™ Rose Cardinal Flower (Lobelia) blooms with pointed petals stands before dense white clusters of hydrangea blooms and green foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Bright magenta flowers of the Starship™ Rose Cardinal Flower (Lobelia) blooms on tall stalks, accented by green and burgundy foliage with white and purple flowers in the background of a sunny garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Starship™ Rose Cardinal Flower (Lobelia)

$16.99
$16.99
A flowering Astilbe 'Dragon's Lair' with dark burgundy-purple foliage and tall pink to white flower spikes, growing in a garden among green grasses and foliage. - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A garden bed filled with ornamental foliage, featuring prominent pinkish-purple Astilbe 'Dragon's Lair' flowers, deep burgundy leaves coral bells, bright green fiddle-leaf figs, and pale pink sedum in the foreground. - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Dragon's Lair' Chinese (Astilbe)

$19.99
$19.99

Close-up of the Hollywood Hibiscus™ Social Butterfly™ Tropical Hibiscus, showcasing its bright yellow-orange petals with a red-pink center, glistening with water droplets and framed by lush green leaves in sunlight.A close-up of the Hollywood Hibiscus™ Social Butterfly™ Tropical Hibiscus reveals dazzling orange petals fading to bright pink at the center, set off by lush green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Hollywood Hibiscus™ Social Butterfly™ Tropical Hibiscus

$19.99
$19.99

'Vision in Red' Chinese Astilbe displays magenta-purple feathery plumes above green serrated leaves surrounded by green plants - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.‘Vision in Red’ Chinese Astilbe features tall, feathery purple flower spikes above green, fern-like foliage. Tall grasses are slightly blurred in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Vision in Red' Chinese Astilbe

$18.99
$18.99
Tall, raspberry-pink plumes of ‘Visions’ Chinese Astilbe rise above green foliage, creating a striking display in shade gardens - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.'Visions' Chinese Astilbe produces dense clusters of raspberry pink blooms above deep green foliage, making it an ideal shade garden plant with vibrant flower spikes against lush leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Visions' Chinese Astilbe

$18.99
$18.99
Close-up of Wedding Party® 'Mother of the Bride' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) in pale yellow with light pink edges, set among green leaves and other purple-tinged double blooms and buds - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A close-up of the Wedding Party® 'Mother of the Bride' Lenten Rose (Helleborus), featuring its pale pink and yellow double blooms with layered petals and green leaves in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Wedding Party® 'Mother of the Bride' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

A vibrant cluster of 'Purple Emperor' Coneflower (Echinacea) with dark centers blooms in a garden bed among green leaves and other butterfly-attracting plants basking in bright sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Side view of 'Purple Emperor' Coneflower (Echinacea) blooms with dark centers in a garden, surrounded by ornamental grasses and other colorful, butterfly-attracting flowers under bright sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Purple Emperor' Coneflower (Echinacea)

$19.99
$19.99

A close-up of Westcountry™ 'Manhattan Lights' Lupine (Lupinus), a vibrant perennial with purple and yellow flower clusters, is surrounded by green sunlit leaves, where dewdrops shimmer - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Westcountry™ 'Manhattan Lights' Lupine (Lupinus) features tall spikes with dense purple and yellow blooms and lush green leaves at the base, displayed in a greenhouse against a softly blurred background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

Westcountry™ 'Manhattan Lights' Lupine (Lupinus)

$17.09
$18.99 $17.09

A dense cluster of drought-tolerant Rock 'N Grow® 'Midnight Velvet' Stonecrop (Sedum) with dark purple leaves and stems, topped by reddish-pink flowers, grows in a mulched garden bed - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Cluster of Rock 'N Grow® 'Midnight Velvet' Stonecrop (Sedum) with dark purple leaves and dense reddish-pink flower clusters, growing in a mulched garden bed bordered by green grass - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Rock 'N Grow® 'Midnight Velvet' Stonecrop (Sedum)

$18.99
$18.99
Prairie Princess' Ironweed (Vernonia) is a dense, rounded shrub with narrow green leaves and vibrant purple flower clusters that add bold color to mulched pollinator gardens alongside native perennials - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Close-up of Prairie Princess' Ironweed (Vernonia) features clusters of bright purple, spiky-petaled flowers and narrow green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Prairie Princess' Ironweed (Vernonia)

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of 'Summer Cloud' Dwarf Delphinium features vibrant blue flowers with white and yellow centers, accented by green buds and leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Summer Cloud' Delphinium

$17.99
$17.99

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.