Pollinator Support Guild

Create a multi-layered bed with tall plants (such as bee balm and echinacea) at the back/center, medium-height plants in the middle layer, and ground covers at the edges. Include variety in flower shapes, sizes, and bloom times to support diverse pollinator species.

Space plants closer than normally recommended: 12-15 inches for larger plants, 8-10 inches for medium plants, and 6 inches for ground covers. This creates a dense planting that crowds out weeds and maximizes floral resources.

Choose plants with sequential bloom times to provide nectar and pollen from early spring through late fall. Include at least 3 species that bloom in each season: spring, early summer, late summer, and fall.

Avoid all pesticides. Leave plant stems standing through winter as pollinator habitat, cutting back only in early spring. Allow some self-seeding. Divide crowded plants every 3-4 years, preferably in fall.

This guild is measured in ecosystem services rather than harvest: expect significantly improved pollination of nearby food crops (up to 30% better fruit set), predator habitat reducing pests in adjacent gardens, and valuable cutflower harvests.

While not primarily for food production, this guild dramatically improves the productivity of nearby food crops while providing beauty and cut flowers. Particularly valuable near fruit trees, berry patches, and vegetable gardens to boost yields.

Combine pollinator support with edible yields by selecting dual-purpose flowers like bee balm (edible and medicinal), anise hyssop (tea), sunflowers (seeds), and lavender (culinary). Arrange in a horseshoe shape to create a sheltered microclimate.

Space larger plants (sunflowers, tall herbs) 18 inches apart at the back, mid-sized plants 12 inches apart in the middle, and creeping herbs 8 inches apart at the front. Leave some open areas with flat stones for butterfly basking.

Focus on incorporating edible plants with different harvest seasons. Include spring herbs (chives), summer berries and flowers, and fall-producing plants like asters and autumn sage.

Harvest edible flowers regularly to encourage continued blooming. Provide a small water source like a shallow dish with stones. Mulch with compost annually in spring. Leave some areas with bare soil for ground-nesting bees.

This guild provides regular harvests of culinary and tea herbs, edible flowers for salads, and medicinal plants, along with improved pollination services. Expect 2-3 lbs of herb harvests and 4-6 bouquets of cut flowers through the season.

This approach provides the ecological benefits of a pollinator garden while also yielding regular harvests. Particularly good near outdoor seating areas where the fragrance and beauty can be enjoyed and herbs easily harvested for fresh use.