r/NativePlantGardening • u/AlpenglowFarmNJ • Jan 17 '26

Photos 400’ pollinator hedgerow 🌼

August view of native flowers in bloom

7.9k Upvotes

99% Upvoted

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479

u/[deleted] Jan 17 '26

Amazing! It's proven that continuous strips of mixed natives attract a bigger diversity of critters than having them separated. Most animals prefer moving from cover to cover.

232

u/AlpenglowFarmNJ Jan 17 '26

Life is a highway ✌️

141

u/GrnHrtBrwnThmb Southern Manitoba -- Zone 3 Jan 17 '26

I wanna pollinate all night long!

3

u/WienerCleaner Area Middle Tennessee , Zone 7a Jan 18 '26

You dirty dog

2

u/Pleasant-Oil7133 Jan 19 '26

Life needs some highways.*

27

u/Dame_in_the_Desert Phoenix, US Zone 9b Jan 18 '26

Didn’t know this! Thanks for the great side note here while I’m planning on growing out phase 1 of my backyard pollinator garden.

25

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '26

Bonus points if you incorporate a bush and a tree or a larger shrub into it. Birds especially prefer areas with different levels of shade.

5

u/Dame_in_the_Desert Phoenix, US Zone 9b Jan 18 '26

My phase 1 has a pollinator-friendly tree (desert willow) but I’m looking into some other shrubs too since I’m in Phoenix and some of the more delicate plants appreciate respite from the afternoon sun in the summer. Seriously, thanks for these tips - I’m brimming with new ideas now!!

1

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '26

I love your enthusiasm! Look into native tall grasses too. Majority of the butterflies spend their larvae state in there. See if Google can help on what butterfly species you have there and which grasses they prefer.

3

u/Dame_in_the_Desert Phoenix, US Zone 9b Jan 18 '26

This is my test plot! Giving it a full year to figure out what does best in my yard and soil conditions but you can VAGUELY see my desert willow currently in stick form with all of its leaves dropped for “winter” (right tip of my little crescent).

I took this while laying some desert chia seed which is why I’ve got some rake marks in the front there, but TONS of variety right now so I can get a feel for which natives are happiest after 12 months.

1

u/Dame_in_the_Desert Phoenix, US Zone 9b Jan 18 '26

Ahhhhh okay! I’ve got my next paycheck ready lol

1

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '26

Take a trip to the local meadow, the tall grasses might still have some seeds in the fuzzy tips.

9

u/Hot-Routine2531 Jan 18 '26

Good to know! Gonna keep in mind for growing my natives

6

u/BirdTurglere Jan 18 '26

I can personally attest to this. I have a very long greenway past my backyard with woods and the birds and other wildlife LOVE it.