It’s no secret to anyone at this point that our pollinators are in trouble. There are a lot of things that individuals can do, including never using neonicotinoid pesticides, and feeding pollinators as well as possible and providing habitat for them. One important factor is that some native pollinators thrive best when a number of different kinds of pollen sources are available to them:
https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/bumblebees-need-diverse-diet-too
With that in mind, I began looking around my yard to see what all is available to my resident bumblebees and other pollinators right now. All the bees in my area seem to be quite mad for poppies, but the poppy season is drawing to a close. Still, there are lots of other things. Exhibit A, above, is milkweed. It has taken me four years to finally have a thriving blooming patch of milkweed, but the bees definitely appreciate it. The picture above shows honeybees, but the bumbles visit it regularly too. I haven’t seen any monarchs yet, but I remain hopeful.
The elderberry bushes are in bloom and they seem to be attractive to all kinds of bees and other pollinators, as well as being attractive to me when in fruit.
I grow scorzonera largely for food use and had never heard of it being a significant pollen producer, but the bees and butterflies love it when in flower.
Next to milkweed, the most thronged plant in the yard right now is perennial arugula, which tends to bloom just after the annual arugula,shown below, finishes. Both are wildly attractive to bees. The honeybees can light on the slender stalks without too much trouble, but when a bumblebee lands on them, they bend over double. Interestingly, this does not seem to deter the bumbles. They just sort of ride the stalk down and mine the flower of pollen while hanging upside down. These are cruciferous plants, and I have noticed that when collards, kale, or broccoli are allowed to go to flower, the bees are crazy about them too. I am not sure what makes crucifers so attractive to bees. But there is no arguing with the fact.
If you absolutely do not want to grow any vegetables in your front yard, it can still be used as a pollinator garden, with fruit trees, berry bushes, and any number of flowering perennials and annuals that bees enjoy.
My urban homestead 