All-America SelectionsAll-America SelectionsAll-America SelectionsAll-America Selections
  • AAS Winners
    • Search AAS Winners
    • Buy Winners
    • Complete AAS Winner List
    • About AAS Winners
    • Judges’ Biographies
  • Display Gardens
    • Visit an AAS Display Garden
    • Design Challenge Winners
    • Become an AAS Display Garden
    • Info for Current Display Gardens
  • Blog
  • About
    • About AAS
    • AAS Garden Types
    • AAS Award Recipients
    • AAS Meetings
      • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • Annual Reports
    • AAS Judges
  • Industry
    • Enter AAS Trials
    • AAS Media Kit
    • AAS Introduction Gardens
    • AAS Ambassador Tools
    • Signs and Brochures
    • Wholesale Sources
    • Judge’s Login
  • Contact
Next Previous

AAS Winners for the Pollinator-Friendly Garden

16 January, 2020
Create Your Own AAS Pollinator-Friendly Garden
Create Your Own Pollinator-Friendly Garden with AAS Winners - All-America Selections

How to create your own pollinator-friendly garden using AAS Winners

Having a diverse and significant population of bees, butterflies and other pollinators in the garden is an indicator of success in providing for their needs!

Written/Photos by Mark Dwyer
Landscape Prescriptions by MD

Many All-America Selections (AAS) Winners are “pollinator magnets”.  Having the benefit of significant trialing and evaluation, AAS Winners are already a success story waiting to happen in terms of adaptability and performance.  Having the added benefit of attracting beneficial pollinators to the garden makes them extremely valuable in our garden beds, borders, and containers.

We’ve all seen the news and research revolving around serious concerns for the health, vitality and population security for bees and other pollinators. The value of insect pollination is staggering when we consider that 40% of all foods and beverages are somehow dependent on insect pollination. Over 200,000 species of creatures serve as pollinators and it makes sense to have beautiful, welcoming garden spaces that help attract, foster, support and invigorate our local pollinator populations.

Five Tips for a Pollinator-Friendly Garden

1.) Include a wide range of All-America Selection (AAS) Winners that promote a diverse pollinator audience.

These twelve AAS Winners can have value and impact in your pollinator-friendly plantings. Massing these plants will not only contribute to the ornamental appeal of the space but these groupings will become destinations for pollinator activity. Including these AAS Winners in containers is also a valuable way of expanding the pollinator appeal of the garden.

2.) Minimize or eliminate chemical use, particularly pesticides, in garden spaces where you seek to maximize pollinator appeal.

Many pesticides are non-selective and may have a dramatic impact on your desired insect populations by adversely affecting both nectar and pollen.

3.) Provide a source of water in the garden.

For many pollinators, a simple, sandy wet patch, puddle or shallow dish of water with a significant edge (for resting) can be beneficial for visiting pollinators.

4.) Consider diversifying plant material to include the widest range of bloom time from the earliest of spring-blooming bulbs to the latest blooming annuals and perennials.

Woody plants may also provide benefits for pollinators. Native plantings can have significant value for pollinators in these combinations.

5.) Include some plants for the larval stage of some of our most beautiful garden insects.

For example, monarch caterpillars benefit from milkweeds (Asclepias sp.) to nibble on and swallowtail caterpillars will enjoy parsley (Petroselinum), dill (Anethum) and fennel (Foeniculum). Accomplish some research to see what plants are the most appropriate and valuable for this “pollinator service” and realize that ideally, you should see some nibbling!

With continued urbanization, population growth, chemical use, and resource management concerns, the value of our gardens as a refuge for pollinators becomes more important. Including pollinator-friendly AAS Winners makes our spaces a colorful and welcome oasis and respite for pollinators that are increasingly challenged with finding these spaces. Adding pollinator-friendly plants to your vegetable garden is a great way to help pollinators and assist your insect pollinating vegetables, read more here.

Consider planting some of these excellent AAS Winners to maximize the “pollinator appeal” in your garden and landscape.

Agastache 'Golden Jubilee' is an All-America Selections winner and great for attracting pollinators - AAS Winner

Agastache ‘Golden Jubilee’
The profusion of blue blossoms above golden foliage will attract a wide range of pollinators during the bloom period, including countless bees!

Dill 'Fernleaf' is an All-America Selection Winner and a pollinator magnet - AAS Winner

Anethum graveolens ‘Fernleaf’
This ornamental herb Dill serves double duty in the kitchen but the flowers will attract pollinators and hopefully, you’ll see some caterpillars nibbling on the foliage!

Cleome 'Sparkler Blush' a great pollinator for your garden - AAS Winner

Cleome ‘Sparkler Blush’
Gorgeous, long-lasting blossoms on this Spider Flower will be magnets for the trifecta of bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Echinacea Cheyenne Spirit is a pollinator magnet and an All-America Selection Winner - AAS Winner

Echinacea ‘Cheyenne Spirit’
Coneflowers are pollinator magnets and this colorful selection is no exception for a long period of bloom and pollinator value

Gaillardia Arizonia Sun for pollinators - An All-America Selection Winner

Gaillardia ‘Arizona Sun’
Sometimes returning as a perennial, this Blanket Flower will have blooms attractive to pollinators all the way to hard frost.

Rudbeckia Indian Summer - An AAS Winner that pollinators love - All-America Selections

Rudbeckia ‘Indian Summer’
Tall and colorful, this classic selection of gloriosa daisy has large blossoms that act as landing pads for butterflies and bees.

Rudbeckia Prairie Sun is a great flower for bees and butterflies - All-America Selection Winner

Rudbeckia ‘Prairie Sun’
This green-centered rudbeckia selection has substantial value to attract pollinators over a long bloom period.

AAS Winner Salvia Summer Jewel Red is loved by gardeners and hummingbirds! - All-America Selections

Salvia ‘Summer Jewel Red’
This selection (and all others in the Summer Jewel series) is a slam dunk for hummingbirds and a wide range of other pollinators.

Tithonia Torch is an excellent AAS Winner for pollinators! - All-America Selections

Tithonia ‘Torch’
While the bright orange daisy-like blooms don’t appear until later summer, the sheer volume of visiting butterflies, hummingbirds and bees is amazing.

AAS Winner Verbena EnduraScape Pink Bicolor is a beautiful flowering annual that pollinators love - All-America Selections

Verbena ‘EnduraScape™ Pink Bicolor’
Durability and heat tolerance go hand in hand with this variety along with attracting the full gamut of interested pollinators.

Zinnia Zahara Double Fire is an AA Winner great for Pollinators - All-America Selections

Zinnia ‘Zahara Double Fire’
Brilliant flowers will be attractive to both the gardener and visiting pollinators.

AAS Winner Zinnia Zowie Yellow Flame is a great for pollinators - All-America Selections

Zinnia ‘Zowie! Yellow Flame’
With a uniquely brilliant color pattern, this zinnia will also garner attention from bees, butterflies and hummingbirds

“This post is provided as an education/inspirational service of All-America Selections. Please credit and link to All-America Selections when using all or parts of this article.”

Create Your Own Pollinator-Friendly Garden with AAS Winners - All-America Selections

Leave a Comment

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




The maximum upload file size: 64 MB. You can upload: image, audio, video, document, spreadsheet, interactive, other. Links to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the comment text will be automatically embedded. Drop file here

Follow Blog via Email



Topics

  • AAS in the News
  • AAS Winners
  • Edible Winners
  • Flower/Ornamental Winners
  • Gardening Tips
  • Perennial Winners
  • Pollinator Garden
  • Recipes

Archives

  • February 2023
  • December 2022
  • August 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • August 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • October 2018
  • August 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • July 2015
  AAS Winners

MISSION STATEMENT

“To promote new garden varieties with superior garden performance judged in impartial trials in North America.”

CONTACT

5201 Walnut Ave. Suite 3
Downers Grove, IL 60515
Phone: 630-963-0770

QUICKLINKS

  • AAS Winners
  • Media Kit
  • Judge’s Login

ENEWS SIGN-UP

  AAS Winners
Copyright © 2023 All-America Selections.
  • AAS Winners
    • Search AAS Winners
    • Complete AAS Winner List
    • About AAS Winners
    • Judges’ Biographies
  • Newsletter Sign up
  • Display Gardens
    • Visit an AAS Display Garden
    • Design Challenge Winners
    • Become an AAS Display Garden
    • Info for Current Display Gardens
  • News
  • About
    • About AAS
    • AAS Award Recipients
    • AAS Meetings
    • Annual Reports
  • Industry
    • AAS Introduction Gardens
    • Media Kit
    • AAS Garden Types
    • Signs and Brochures
    • AAS Ambassador Tools
    • Breeders’ Entry Information
    • Wholesale Sources of AAS Winners
    • Judge’s Login
  • Contact
All-America Selections