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.
Two vibrant purple flower spikes of the Pugster Pico Punch™ Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) with green leaves stand out against a blurred white floral background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Close-up of a vibrant Pugster Pico Punch™ Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) flower cone with clustered purple blooms and green leaves. This compact shrub attracts butterflies, while the blurred background shows yellow and green hues - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Pugster Pico Punch™ Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)

$22.99
$22.99
Clusters of small white flowers with pink-tipped stamens bloom on Low Scape Mound® Aronia, set against glossy green leaves. Some buds stay closed, their pink tips enhancing the shrub’s fresh and detailed look - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Dense green shrubs with glossy oval leaves, identified as Low Scape Mound® Aronia, grow closely together in a garden bed with mulch and other plants nearby, adding rich texture and visual interest to the landscape - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Low Scape Mound® Aronia

$22.99
$22.99

A close-up of vibrant yellow Tuscan Gold™ False Sunflower (Heliopsis), a drought-tolerant perennial, blooming among green leaves with sunlight highlighting their radiant petals - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Tuscan Gold™ False Sunflower (Heliopsis) features bright yellow flowers with dark centers and green leaves thriving in sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Tuscan Gold™ False Sunflower (Heliopsis)

$18.99
$18.99

‘Praying Hands’ Hosta features dense clumps of unique, wavy green leaves edged in creamy white - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.‘Praying Hands’ Hosta features dense, wavy green leaves and clusters of light purple tubular flowers. This unique foliage hosta is a standout in a shade garden creating vibrant texture among lush greenery - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Praying Hands' Hosta

$17.09
$18.99 $17.09

A cluster of 'Captain Kirk' Hosta with bold green leaves and striking variegation, grows in soil near the base of a tree - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.The 'Captain Kirk' Hosta features large, variegated green leaves with yellowish centers and is sun tolerant, making it a standout among perennial shade plants with diverse leaf patterns and colors - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Captain Kirk' Hosta

$17.09
$18.99 $17.09

A garden bed of Bejeweled® 'Lavender Sapphires' Beardtongue (Penstemon) showcases tall green plants with clusters of vibrant purple blooms, petals scattered on the soil - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A dense cluster of tall, purple Bejeweled® 'Lavender Sapphires' Beardtongue (Penstemon) blooms in a mulched bed, surrounded by colorful flowers and greenery - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Bejeweled® 'Lavender Sapphires' Beardtongue (Penstemon)

$15.19
$18.99 $15.19
A dense mound of Mini Marvels™ 'Twilight' Bellflower (Campanula), a perennial for small gardens, features small, five-petaled light purple blooms nestled among green foliage and grass in a garden setting - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Mini Marvels™ 'Twilight' Bellflower (Campanula) forms a dense cluster of small, light purple blooms with green leaves, alongside blue and white bi-colored flowers - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Mini Marvels™ 'Twilight' Bellflower (Campanula)

$17.99
$19.99 $17.99

A close-up of Blue Chiffon® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus) in full bloom displays its light purple, layered petals and white center, surrounded by green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCThe Blue Chiffon® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus) showcases light purple blooms among green foliage and other white and red flowers, creating a stunning, deer-resistant accent with a large building in the background. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Blue Chiffon® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus)

$22.99
$22.99

Tiny Wine® Ninebark (Physocarpus) is a compact shrub with dense, burgundy foliage and reddish stems. Green leaves in the background create a layered garden effect. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Tiny Wine® Ninebark (Physocarpus)

$22.99
$22.99

Close-up of 'Dalmatian Purple' Foxglove (Digitalis) with deep lavender-purple, speckled flowers amid green foliage and softly blurred buds - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.Close-up of ‘Dalmatian Purple’ Foxglove (Digitalis) with deep lavender-purple, bell-shaped blooms with speckled throats on tall stems - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

'Dalmatian Purple' Foxglove (Digitalis)

$17.99
$17.99
A close-up of vibrant Regal® Diamantina™ Clematis in full bloom, showcasing its layered purple petals amid lush green leaves in bright sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A lower-angle close-up of a vibrant Regal® Diamantina™ Clematis flower with layered purple petals and a tightly curled pale green center, set against lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Regal® Diamantina™ Clematis

$20.99
$20.99

Shadowland® 'Empress Wu' Hosta, a large hosta with broad, ribbed green leaves, stands among other leafy plants and ferns in a lush shade garden - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Shadowland® 'Empress Wu' Hosta impresses with its giant, textured leaves and pale purple flowers, thriving in shade gardens among leafy plants and pine needles for a stunning landscape accent - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Shadowland® Giant Collection 'Empress Wu' Hosta

$20.99
$20.99

A close-up of Shadowland® 'Waterslide' Hosta, a shade perennial with wavy, ribbed blue-green leaves, growing in a mulched garden bed among plants with yellow and reddish foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Top-down view of the Shadowland® 'Waterslide' Hosta features broad, blue ruffled leaves and pale purple flowers on tall stems - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Shadowland® 'Waterslide' Hosta

$21.99
$21.99

Dressed Up® 'Ball Gown' Coral Bells (Heuchera) features tall, slender stems with clusters of small white flowers rising above broad green leaves, creating a striking centerpiece in a shady garden bed - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Dressed Up® 'Ball Gown' Coral Bells (Heuchera)

$18.99
$27.99 $18.99
The 'Autumn Gold' Narrow-Leaved Sunflower (Helianthus) features vibrant yellow daisy-like blooms with dark brown centers, surrounded by green narrow leaves and buds. This drought-tolerant perennial has slightly uneven petals and looks healthy - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of 'Autumn Gold' Narrow-Leaved Sunflower (Helianthus), a drought-tolerant perennial with a dark center, bright yellow petals, and green foliage, with fall garden flowers blurred in the sunlit background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

'Autumn Gold' Narrow-Leaved Sunflower (Helianthus)

$16.19
$17.99 $16.19

A close-up of a blooming Reminiscent® Crema Rose (Rosa) with layered, slightly curled petals and hints of yellow at the center, surrounded by green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCClose-up of four creamy white Reminiscent® Crema Rose (Rosa) blooms with pale yellow centers and green leaves. The blurred background hints at pink flowers - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Reminiscent® Crema Rose (Rosa)

$22.99
$40.99 $22.99

A close-up of the compact Garland® Giselle™ Clematis, a climbing perennial with pointed pink petals and a dark purple center, surrounded by green leaves and flower buds - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of a vibrant pink Garland® Giselle™ Clematis, a compact climbing perennial in full bloom, with delicate petals, dark purple stamens at the center, and lush green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Donahue's Clematis

Garland® Giselle™ Clematis

FREE
FREE
Close-up of a dense cluster of vibrant purple-pink 'Pink Crush' New England Aster flowers with narrow petals and green stems, set against grass and rocks - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.‘Pink Crush’ New England Aster forms a dense, rounded bush covered in vivid purple-pink blooms, brightening mulched garden beds and green lawns - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Pink Crush' New England Aster

$17.99
$17.99

‘Humpback Whale’ Hosta features large, textured green leaves with pronounced veins that grow densely, while tall flower stalks rise above its blue-green foliage, adding bold presence to lush garden plantings - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Humpback Whale' Hosta

$18.89
$20.99 $18.89
A close-up of a Honeymoon® 'Rio Carnival' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) shows cream-yellow petals with maroon-purple splotches and a green, spiky center, framed by lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of pale yellow Honeymoon® 'Rio Carnival' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) flowers with bold dark purple splotches and speckles, featuring prominent yellow-green stamens, set against a dark background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'Rio Carnival' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

A close-up of the Azurri Blue Satin® Rose of Sharon shows its light purple bloom with a white and dark red center, surrounded by green leaves and flower buds. This seedless Hibiscus shrub features striking summer flowers. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCClose-up of Azurri Blue Satin® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus), featuring light purple petals with a creamy white center and red streaks radiating from the middle, set against a backdrop of green leaves. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Azurri Blue Satin® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus)

$22.99
$40.99 $22.99

A close-up of a pale pink, double-bloom Sugar Tip® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus) flower with delicate, layered petals and lush green leaves on this attractive flowering shrub. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCThe Sugar Tip® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus) is a dense, flowering shrub with variegated green and white leaves, showcasing light pink double blooms in the summer. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Sugar Tip® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus)

$22.99
$22.99

Dense branches of Berry Heavy® Winterberry Holly (Ilex), adorned with clusters of orange-red berries, stand out against brown fallen leaves and tall, dried grasses in the background. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA Berry Heavy® Winterberry Holly (Ilex) shrub with clusters of bright orange-red berries stands in a mulched garden, surrounded by other shrubs and trees beneath a cloudy sky. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Berry Heavy® Winterberry Holly (Ilex)

$21.99
$21.99

Three vibrant pink flowers with white stamens bloom among lush green leaves. Snippet® Dark Pink Weigela is a compact, reblooming shrub with soft, ruffled petals for a fresh look - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCSnippet® Dark Pink Weigela is a compact, reblooming shrub adorned with clusters of vibrant pink trumpet-shaped flowers and lush green leaves, adding bright color to your garden. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Snippet® Dark Pink Weigela

$22.99
$40.99 $22.99

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.