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 dense cluster of tall, purple 'Blue By You' Perennial Salvia blooms in a garden bed, with more violet flowers in the background and green grass in front - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.A garden bed features a dense row of tall, purple 'Blue By You' Perennial Salvia bordered by green grass and framed by leafy trees in the background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

'Blue By You' Perennial Salvia

$17.99
$17.99

Close-up of small, delicate peach and yellow flowers bloom closely on New Vintage™ Terracotta Yarrow (Achillea) with green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.Clusters of yellow and light orange flowers bloom on tall green stems of New Vintage™ Terracotta Yarrow (Achillea), surrounded by lush foliage - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

New Vintage™ Terracotta Yarrow (Achillea)

$17.99
$17.99

Close-up of pale purple 'Bobblehead' Allium flowers with thin petals blooming on green stems - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A cluster of 'Bobblehead' Allium, drought-tolerant perennials with long green leaves and tall stems topped by round pale white flowers, grows outdoors in a mulched, pollinator-friendly garden bed - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

'Bobblehead' Allium

$13.29
$18.99 $13.29

Campfire® Marshmallow™ Bidens displays dense clusters of daisy-like blooms with white petals and yellow centers above green leaves, thriving outdoors in sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCCampfire® Marshmallow™ Bidens features daisy-like blooms with yellow centers beside deep purple, heart-shaped leaves, all thriving in sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Campfire® Marshmallow™ Bidens

$10.99
$10.99

Goldilocks Rocks® Bidens features vibrant yellow blooms with dark centers and green foliage, blurred hints of red and pink flowers in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCTwo bright yellow Goldilocks Rocks® Bidens flowers with rounded petals bloom above dense green foliage. A white plant tag with "PW" is partly visible in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Goldilocks Rocks® Bidens

$10.99
$10.99

Clusters of bright red berries line the dark, leafless branches of the Berry Poppins® Winterberry Holly (Ilex), set against a backdrop of berry-laden stems that showcase the compact beauty of this flowering shrub. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCClusters of bright red berries pop against a blurred green and gray background, highlighting the dense, vibrant beauty of the compact Berry Poppins® Winterberry Holly (Ilex) shrub. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Berry Poppins® Winterberry Holly (Ilex)

$21.99
$21.99

Kirigami™ Deep Blue & White Columbine (Aquilegia) features vibrant perennial flowers with yellow centers blooming among green foliage, set against a softly blurred brown background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.Kirigami™ Deep Blue & White Columbine (Aquilegia) bloom with inner white petals and outer blue petals in a vibrant garden bed amid lush green and reddish foliage, with additional colorful flowers and trees providing a lively background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Kirigami™ Deep Blue & White Columbine (Aquilegia)

$17.99
$17.99

A cluster of bright yellow Golden Butterfly® Marguerite Daisy (Argyranthemum) blooms with round centers, long petals, green leaves, and a few closed buds - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A lush bush of Golden Butterfly® Marguerite Daisy (Argyranthemum) features many bright yellow, daisy-like flowers amid green foliage and garden soil, with other plants in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Golden Butterfly® Marguerite Daisy (Argyranthemum)

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of Supercal® Premium Purple Dawn Petchoa, a petunia-calibrachoa hybrid, showcasing vibrant pink blooms with dark veins and green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.A close-up of Supercal® Premium Purple Dawn Petchoa, its vibrant blooms held gently between two fingers, with more sun-loving flowers and lush green leaves in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Supercal® Premium Purple Dawn Petchoa

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of vibrant, tubular red and pink Summerlong™ Coral Hummingbird Mint (Agastache) flowers with green leaves brighten a garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of Summerlong™ Coral Hummingbird Mint (Agastache), a drought-tolerant with clustered pink-red tubular blooms and green leaves, growing in mulch near a concrete border and gray wall - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Summerlong™ Coral Hummingbird Mint (Agastache)

$17.99
$17.99
Decadence® 'Lemon Meringue' False Indigo (Baptisia) from Proven Winners features vibrant yellow blooms and lush green foliage, growing densely in gardens bordered by grass lawns and garden structures in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A dense cluster of Decadence® 'Lemon Meringue' False Indigo (Baptisia) blooms brightly in the foreground, while pink flowers and green trees appear blurred behind them beneath a blue sky with scattered clouds - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Decadence® 'Lemon Meringue' False Indigo (Baptisia)

$21.99
$21.99

Bright green, healthy leaves with serrated edges and visible veins cluster densely in sunlight on this compact Mr. Poppins® Winterberry Holly (Ilex) shrub, with more foliage and soil beneath visible in the background. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Mr. Poppins® Winterberry Holly (Ilex)

$21.99
$21.99

Superbena Royale® Plum Wine Verbena displays clusters of vivid reddish-violet, five-petaled blooms, flourishing among white and purple petunias and green foliage in a lush garden setting - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A vivid cluster features Superbena Royale® Plum Wine Verbena’s bright magenta blooms, purple and white flowers with yellow centers, reddish-violet blossoms, all set against a backdrop of lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Superbena Royale® Plum Wine Verbena

$10.99
$10.99
A cluster of light purple and white Superbena® Stormburst Verbena, a deer-resistant annual, is surrounded by green leaves and vibrant blossoms like purple and yellow flowers in a lively garden setting - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Superbena® Stormburst Verbena features clusters of light purple and white flowers with small green buds and leaves, creating a dense, textured pattern - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Superbena® Stormburst Verbena

$10.99
$10.99

A hand holds a Wedding Party® 'Blushing Bridesmaid' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) bloom, showing light pink petals edged in magenta with intricate veining and a center of pale green and white stamens - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A hand holds a Wedding Party® 'Blushing Bridesmaid' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) with double white petals edged and veined in purple, pale yellow stamens, and lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Wedding Party® 'Blushing Bridesmaid' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of the Summerific® 'Glitter Bomb' Rose Mallow (Hibiscus) with large pink blooms, a deep red center, and dark pink veins amid green leaves and buds - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A large pink Summerific® 'Glitter Bomb' Rose Mallow (Hibiscus) with a deep red center and radiating red veins blooms among green leaves. Another flower and buds are partially visible in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Summerific® 'Glitter Bomb' Rose Mallow (Hibiscus)

$21.99
$21.99

Superbena® Cherryburst Verbena features clusters of pink, white, and red-striped blooms with green foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Clusters of pink, white, and magenta Superbena® Cherryburst Verbena bloom densely in a garden bed amid vivid purple and pink blossoms, green leaves, and visible soil - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Superbena® Cherryburst Verbena

$10.99
$10.99

A hand gently holds a Honeymoon® 'Sandy Shores' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) bloom, its creamy pink petals with maroon speckles standing out against a backdrop of lush green shade perennial foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.The Honeymoon® 'Sandy Shores' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) features pale cream blooms with deep purple centers, yellow-tipped stamens, and is surrounded by green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Honeymoon® 'Sandy Shores' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of Decadence® 'Blueberry Sundae' False Indigo (Baptisia) with clusters of vibrant purple flowers and green leaves, growing outdoors among similar plants for a lush, colorful garden display - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A dense cluster of tall Decadence® 'Blueberry Sundae' False Indigo (Baptisia) with purple flowers and green leaves grows outdoors, framed by trees and a cloudy sky in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Decadence® 'Blueberry Sundae' False Indigo (Baptisia)

$21.99
$21.99

Close-up of Uptick™ Gold Tickseed (Coreopsis) shows a bright yellow flower with many narrow petals radiating from its dark yellow center, surrounded by similar blooms - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.A lush Uptick™ Gold Tickseed (Coreopsis) plant with vibrant yellow daisy-like blooms and multiple buds is displayed in a black pot against a plain white background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Uptick™ Gold Tickseed (Coreopsis)

$17.99
$17.99

A close-up of Summerific® 'Lilac Crush' Rose Mallow (Hibiscus) shows its large, delicate pink petals with a red center, surrounded by green leaves and other native perennial hibiscus flowers in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Summerific® 'Lilac Crush' Rose Mallow (Hibiscus) is a hardy native perennial with lush green foliage and large vibrant pink-purple blooms featuring deep red centers - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Summerific® 'Lilac Crush' Rose Mallow (Hibiscus)

$11.39
$18.99 $11.39

Clusters of white, delicate, drooping flowers with fringed petals bloom above fern-like green foliage on Sun Jewels™ 'White Diamonds' Bleeding Heart (Dicentra), adding elegance to any garden. Grass can be seen in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Clusters of white, drooping flowers with delicate petals bloom above fern-like green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Sun Jewels™ 'White Diamonds' Bleeding Heart (Dicentra)

$19.99
$19.99
Close-up of 'Royal Anouk' Spanish Lavender (Lavandula) featuring blooming purple flowers with textured petals and slender green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

'Royal Anouk' Spanish Lavender (Lavandula)

$18.99
$18.99

Arctic Fire® Red Red-Twig Dogwood (Cornus) is a leafless shrub that stands out with many upright, bright red stems in a field of similar plants, set against dry soil and scattered fallen leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A vibrant Arctic Fire® Red Red-Twig Dogwood (Cornus) with lush green leaves grows in a sunlit garden, bordered by grass and other plants, set against a softly blurred natural background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Arctic Fire® Red Red-Twig Dogwood (Cornus)

$21.99
$21.99

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.