As someone who personally has a small yard, living in a tiny rural village, I understand the desire of wanting to plant many pollinator-friendly plants but not having much space to do that.
That’s why I curated a list of 6 plants you can easily grow in containers, based on successes I’ve had in my zone 6 backyard in Western New York since 2017.
I also grow these varieties on my one-acre farm in Cambria, NY because they are that reliable in creating a healthy habitat for pollinators and beneficial insects.
Zinnia
There are so many different colors, petal shapes, and sizes of zinnia, so finding a variety that you love shouldn’t be too difficult.
These flowers are visited by bees, butterflies, and other insects stopping by the garden.
Annual or Perennial: Annual
Seed or Transplant: either
Recommended container size: 15″W x 20″H, minimum
Sunflower
There are many different varieties of sunflowers, but I recommend something on the shorter side (between 2 feet. – 5 feet tall) if you are going to be growing them in containers.
Teddy Bear, Irish Eye, and Autumn Beauty sunflowers are varieties that are better suited for containers since they don’t grow overly tall.
And they’re branching sunflowers, so you’ll have more than one bloom per plant.
Beloved by native and honey bees, sunflowers also become a buffet for goldfinches in the fall as the seeds dry on the heads left on the stalks in your garden.
Annual or Perennial: Annual
Seed or Transplant: seed is best
Recommended container size: 15″W x 20″H
Hyssop
This flowering herb is a long-lasting perennial that will do well in a larger container on your patio.
I have a hyssop plant that has been in the same container for about 6 years now on my back patio.
It resembles a lavender plant with it’s purple flowers on a stalk and grows larger every season with continued care and refreshing of soil.
This attracts butterflies and bees.
Annual or Perennial: Perennial
Seed or Transplant: transplant
Recommended container size: 10″W x 10″H, minimum
Nasturtium
Nasturtium is a lovely plant for pollinators and beneficial insects in the garden.
It starts to grow long tendrils throughout the season, so it does well in a hanging basket – just make sure to keep it watered.
Bonus – the leaves, flowers, and seed pods are all edible!
Annual or Perennial: Annual
Seed or Transplant: either, likely more easily found in seed packets
Recommended container size: 10″W x 10″H, minimum
Calendula
Calendula or pot marigold is often found in any skin-soothing remedies but it’s also an annual flower that attracts many pollinators.
You don’t need anything large to grow this in – calendula will clump and grow all season long, often beyond the last frost date.
Annual or Perennial: Annual, but readily self-sows
Seed or Transplant: either, likely more easily found in seed packets
Recommended container size: 10″W x 10″H or smaller if only placing 1-2 seeds in the container
Marigolds
Visited by pollinators and beneficial insects, marigolds are often a sought after plant ally in the vegetable garden.
Plant your own seeds for varieties that can get up to 4 feet tall and branch like crazy, giving you cut flowers for your home, as well as providing a space for bees and other insects.
Annual or Perennial: Annual, but readily self-sows
Seed or Transplant: either, but many cute varieties can be found in seed packets
Recommended container size: 10″W x 10″H, minimum
Borage
Borage is the cutest flower/herb out there. The flowers are edible and have a light cucumber flavor to them. But the biggest thing they attract is bumblebees.
Bumblebees go crazy for borage.
Bumblebees are a native bee to North America and engage in “buzz” pollination, where their actual buzzing is what aids the pollination of fruit crops.
This plant is prolific, so the larger the container the better.
It also self-sows, so if you plant it in a container, it might come back year after year (it does so in my 24″ W x 10″H container.
Annual or Perennial: Annual, but readily self-sows
Seed or Transplant: either, likely more easily found in seed packets
Recommended container size: 10″W x 10″H, minimum
Would you love to try these varieties in your garden?
Shop my Seedling Sale this May!
Schul Farmstead 