Plants for Pollinator Garden With Bold Summer Color

We plant for long color and busy blooms. You’ll find hardy perennial flowers, wildflowers, and sun-ready picks that help butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds stay fed through summer.

📅 June 26, 2026 ⏱️ 5 min read

What are the best plants for pollinator garden to buy?

W ant a yard that stays busy with color and wingbeats all summer? We start with the plants for pollinator garden in our 25 Flowering Plants Collection because you get 25 bare-root perennial plants for garden use in one order, and they grow in zones 4-9. That matters if you want hardy perennial plants that return year after year instead of replanting every season. We also include the 25 Colorful Wildflowers for butterfly garden plants when you want a looser, meadow-style look. This pack covers zones 3-9 and gives you 25 bare-root wildflowers with mixed bloom color. It is one of our strongest answers to what plants attract butterflies, especially if you want changing color through spring and summer. Keep in mind, mixed assortments trade exact plant-by-plant control for easier planting and broader seasonal interest. How to choose the right plants for pollinator garden? Choose the Flowering Plants Collection if you want deer resistant, pollinator friendly plants for beds that may get full sun or partial shade. Pick the wildflower pack if you want a more natural drift, simple coverage, and native plants for xeriscaping style gardens with a relaxed cottage feel. In this guide, we’ll show you where each collection fits best, which gardeners they suit, and how to get longer bloom from both.
  • 25 Flowering Plants Collection: 25 bare-root perennial plants, zones 4-9, mixed bloom color
  • 25 Colorful Wildflowers: 25 bare-root wildflowers, zones 3-9, mixed color for long seasonal change
  • Both collections support pollinators, including butterflies and hummingbirds
  • Flowering Plants Collection suits full sun or partial shade and includes deer resistant varieties


Shop Pollinator Friendly Plants for Long Summer Color

If you're building plants for pollinator garden beds, we pulled together four easy ways to cover more ground fast. You'll find mixed perennial packs, colorful wildflowers, and low-growing fillers t...


Summer Color Picks for Pollinators

If you want plants for pollinator garden beds that fill in fast, we’d start with two simple choices. Our 25 Flowering Plants Collection gives you 25 assorted best-selling plants for flower gardens, while our 25 Colorful Wildflowers brings a broad, mixed planting for bigger sweeps of color and habitat.

Both ship as bare-root plants, and both are built for gardeners who want lasting beds instead of one short burst. But they do play different roles. That matters when you are planning for butterflies, bees, and season-long interest.

What are the best plants for pollinator garden to buy?

For a flexible starter bed, the best buy here is the 25 Flowering Plants Collection. It covers zones 4-9, includes mixed bloom color, handles full sun and partial shade, and the description calls out pollinator appeal plus deer resistant varieties.

If you want a looser, meadow-style look, choose the 25 Colorful Wildflowers. It fits zones 3-9, includes 25 plants, and the mix is selected to create changing waves of bloom through spring and summer.

pollinator friendly plants

We like these two collections together because they solve two common garden problems. One gives you structure and dependable perennial return. The other adds movement, mixed timing, and that cottage-garden look many yards need.

  • 25 Flowering Plants Collection: 25 plants, zones 4-9, spring bloom season, over 12 inches at maturity, full sun to partial shade use
  • 25 Colorful Wildflowers: 25 plants, zones 3-9, spring bloom season, over 12 inches at maturity, mixed bloom color
  • Shared benefit: both support birds, butterflies, and other visiting pollinators

How to choose the right plants for pollinator garden?

Start with your zone and light. If your bed shifts between sunny and partly shaded spots, the Flowering Plants Collection is easier to place. If you have open room and want a natural drift of plants that attract pollinators, the Colorful Wildflowers mix makes more sense.

Keep one tradeoff in mind. Bare-root plants usually need a little patience at the start, especially if you expect instant fullness. Give them proper watering and a bit of time, and you’ll get stronger long-term roots.

native pollinator plants and butterfly garden plants

These assortments fit gardeners who want broad seasonal color without choosing 25 individual plants one by one. And if you are building out a larger sunny bed, you can keep the theme going with our Long Blooming Perennials or Sun Perennials collections.

"A mixed planting works hard for you. Different bloom times help keep color in the bed and activity around the flowers."


Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best plants for pollinator garden to buy?

For a quick start, we point customers to our 10 Perennial Plants Package and 15 Ground Cover Package. Together, they give you mixed bloom color, low-growing coverage under 12 inches, and taller perennial flowers over 12 inches. That mix helps build plants for pollinator garden beds with more layers, which hummingbirds and butterflies use differently. If you want one honest tip, start with the perennial package for height and flower bed color, then add ground covers to fill bare soil.

How do these two packages help attract butterflies and other pollinators?

Both packages are listed for pollinator use, and our 10 Perennial Plants Package specifically notes that it attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. The 15 Ground Cover Package is also selected for pollinator activity, so it works well when you want plants that attract pollinators across more of the bed. Look, the real benefit is coverage. Taller blooms draw the eye, while the lower plants spread color closer to the soil line.

Will these work for sunny, hot garden spots?

Yes, both packages can handle strong light. Our 10 Perennial Plants Package grows in full sun to partial shade, and the 15 Ground Cover Package thrives in light conditions that include full sun. That makes them useful if you need plants that like full sun and heat, especially in open flower beds. Keep in mind that bare-root plants still need regular watering while they establish, even when the mature plants are hardy.

Are these good choices for zone 6 gardens?

Yes. The 10 Perennial Plants Package is rated for zones 4-9, and the 15 Ground Cover Package is listed for planting zones 3-9. So if you are shopping for perennial flowers for zone 6, both packages fit the zone range. We also like that they cover two jobs at once. One adds height and mixed blooms, and the other keeps lower areas planted instead of patchy.

What is the difference between the 10 Perennial Plants Package and the 15 Ground Cover Package?

The biggest difference is plant habit. Our 10 Perennial Plants Package matures over 12 inches tall and is geared toward flower gardens, while the 15 Ground Cover Package stays under 12 inches and is meant to spread through landscaping and groundcover areas. So if you need hardy perennials plants for the middle or back of a bed, use the perennial package. If you want hardy perennial plants to soften edges and cover open soil, the ground cover package is the better fit.

How do the plants arrive, and when do you ship them?

Both assigned packages ship now and arrive as bare-root plants. We ship all items by 3-4 day ground shipping. Bare-root is practical for planting packages like these because you can get several plants into the ground quickly. If you have a planting weekend planned, that shipping method is the detail to watch.

Do you accept returns, refunds, or offer a warranty?

We want to be clear here. We do not offer refunds, and we do not accept returns. We also do not offer a warranty on any product unless an extended warranty is purchased at the time of order. If you need help with an order, contact us at customerservice@tennesseewholesalenursery.com or write to Tennessee Wholesale Nursery, 12847 State Route 108, Altamont TN 37301, United States.


Build Your Plants for Pollinator Garden

Start with our 25 Flowering Plants Collection and 25 Colorful Wildflowers for long color and busy beds. Then round out the planting with the 10 Perennial Plants Package and 15 Ground Cover Package ...

Tammy Sons, Horticulture Expert

Written by Tammy Sons

Tammy Sons is a horticulture expert and the CEO of TN Nursery, specializing in native plants, perennials, ferns, and sustainable gardening. With more than 35 years of hands-on growing experience, she has helped gardeners and restoration teams across the country build thriving, pollinator-friendly landscapes.

Learn more about Tammy →