When landscape designer John Magee was tasked with building a pollinator garden in this zone 7 property in Aldie, Virginia, he certainly had his work cut out for him. (See John’s garden here). Dominated by turfgrass and a few non-native shrubs and trees, this space overlooked a nearby golf course and the backyards of close neighbors, so creating privacy was a must. At the same time, the lawn-heavy neighborhood lent itself to enormous stormwater runoff. John decided to create a bermed border of planting beds in the backyard of this property which he bookended with rain gardens that would capture roof runoff in a more efficient way. To maximize benefit to pollinators, all of the plants John installed were natives or native cultivars, although he kept a few non-native favorites that his client could not live without, such as ‘Limelight’ panicle hydrangea. Using a muted color palette consisting of whites, purples, blues, and greens, John used matrix installations and drifts of plants to create a more upscale and refined design than one would traditionally think of when picturing a pollinator garden. Despite the lack of red and yellow wildflowers, bees and butterflies still flock to this functional space that is full of both nectar and host plants for them to enjoy.
Below are just some of the plants that make up this dynamic design:
- White fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus, Zones 3-9)
- Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium, Zones 3–8)
- ‘Standing Ovation’ little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Standing Ovation’, Zones 4-9)
- American black elderberry (Sambucuscanadensis, Zones 3-9)
- ‘Limelight’ panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’, Zones 3–9)
- Blue mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum, Zones 5-9)
- Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum, Zones 4-8)
- Threadleaf bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii, Zones 5–9)
- Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis, Zones 5-11)
- Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum, Zones 3-8)
- ‘Heavy Metal’ switch grass (Panicum virgatum ‘Heavy Metal’, Zones 5-9)
- Blue mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum, Zones 5-9)
Diana Koehm is the content editor.
Fine Gardening Recommended Products
A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
MULTITASKING DUAL EDGES: a deep serrated edge and a tapered slicing edge ideal for tough or delicate cuts. DURABLE 6-inch stainless steel blade withstands 300 lbs of pressure. TWINE CUTTING NOTCH, DEPTH GAUGE MARKINGS & spear point – no need to switch tools when using this garden knife. LEATHER SHEATH: heavy duty, protective, clip on sheath to keep your knife convenient and secure. LIFETIME WARRANTY.
Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Featuring gorgeous photography and advice for landscapers, Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West is dedicated to the idea of a new nature—a hybrid of both the wild and the cultivated—that can nourish in our cities and suburbs.
Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden, Revised and Updated Second Edition: A Natural Approach to Pest Control
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
This revised and updated edition of Jessica Walliser’s award-winning Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden offers a valuable and science-backed plan for bringing balance back to the garden. With this indispensable gardening reference—now updated with new research, insights, and voices—learn how to create a healthy, balanced, and diverse garden capable of supporting a hard-working crew of beneficial pest-eating insects and eliminate the need for synthetic chemical pesticides.
