Full Sun Garden

Living Prairie Museum Garden Design

The following full sun garden design and instructions are provided by the Living Prairie Museum. All of these plants provide pollen and nectar. Some are larval host plants that provide seeds for birds. For additional tips and guidelines to create this full sun garden, click here.

Requirements: Full sun, native perennial plants, and <50 ft² of yard space.

Plant variety and layout:

 full sun garden full sun garden

 Species name  Features
  1. Prairie crocus (Anemone patens)   Attracts bees and other pollinators
  2. Northern bedstraw (Galium boreale)   Larval host plant for hawk and tiger moths
  3. Blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata)   Attracts bees and other pollinators
  4. Prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera)   Attracts birds and other pollinators
  5. Giant hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)   Attracts birds and other pollinators
  6. Bergamot (Mondarda fistulosa)   Attracts bees and other pollinators
  7. Prairie sage (Artemisia ludoviciana)*   Larval host plant for American painted ladies
  8. Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)   Larval host plant for Monarch butterflies
  9. Smooth fleabane (Erigeron glabellus)   Attracts bees and other pollinators

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*alternative - Pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea)

 

Prairie Originals Garden Design

Get inspired with these two full sun pollinator garden layout designs from our friends at Prairie Originals. Each garden plan features 9 species of native grasses and wildflowers that will flourish in medium to moist soil. The diversity of plants and bloom times will help support a variety of pollinators, including our native bee populations.

Requirements: Full sun, native perennial plants, and at least 36 ft² of yard space.

Plant variety and layout:

Two Prairie Originals pollinator garden designs for a full sun garden. The design recommends 30 pots of native plants for a 9 ft x 4 ft space or 65 plugs for a 13 ft x 6 ft garden including Heartleaf Alexander, Giant Hyssop, Gaillardia, Purple Prairie Clover, Culver’s Root, Joe Pie, Showy Goldenrod, Smooth Aster, and Little Bluestem.


See the full 13 ft x 6 ft garden layout or the full 9 ft x 4 ft garden plan.

  Legend   Species name   Features
  HA   Heartleaf Alexander (Zizia aptera)   Attracts bees and other pollinators
  H   Giant Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)   Attracts pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
  G   Gaillardia (Gaillardia aristata)   Attracts bees and other pollinators
  P   Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea urpurea)   Attracts butterflies, birds and other pollinators
  C   Culver's Root (Veroniastrum virginicum)   Attracts bees and other pollinators
  J   Joe Pye (Eupatorium maculatum)   Attracts butterflies, bees, and other pollinators
  S   Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)   Attracts butterflies, bees, and other pollinators
  A   Smooth Aster (Symphytrichum laeve var.laeve)   Attracts butterflies, bees, and other pollinators
  LB   Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)   Host for Skippers.