From Plant Press, Vol. 24, No. 3, July 2021.
The National Museum of Natural History has teamed with the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC), a collaborative body of more than 170 partners, in making Native Pollinator Garden Recipe Cards. These regionally specific cards, available for download at <https://www.pollinator.org/gardencards>, were designed with easy-to-follow guidelines for creating home pollinator gardens that provide a diverse and colorful floral display throughout all growing seasons. The regional cards provide specific recommendations for native plant species to meet the unique environmental characteristics associated with each region and the pollinators that depend on native habitat. Look for these plants where native plants are sold – native plant nurseries and plant sales sponsored by native plant societies, nature centers, and conservation districts.

This Northeast Native Pollinator Garden Recipe Card is one of eight new 2-sided cards designed with easy-to-follow directions for creating home pollinator gardens that provide a diverse and colorful floral display throughout all growing seasons.
Birds, bats, bees, butterflies, beetles, and other animals that pollinate plants are responsible for bringing us one out of every three bites of food. They also sustain our ecosystems and produce natural resources by helping plants reproduce. This service is a precious resource that requires attention and is increasingly in jeopardy. Many populations of pollinating species are in decline and this decline is attributed most severely to a loss in feeding and nesting habitats. Adding natural habitat areas helps. Home gardens can attract and benefit pollinators.
The Native Pollinator Garden Recipe Card series has been designed for the Northeast, Northwest, Intermountain West, Great Plains, Midwest, Southwest, Texas, and Alaska with additional cards coming soon for N. California, S. California, and the Southeast. The recipe cards were a collaborative effort developed by the NAPPC Selecting Plants for Pollinators Task Force of which Gary Krupnick (NMNH) is a member. NAPPC's mission is to encourage the health of resident and migratory pollinating animals in North America. NAPPC raises public awareness about pollinators’ importance to agriculture, ecosystem health, and food supplies, promotes restoration of pollinator habitat, and supports scientific, economic, and policy research. As a founding participant, NMNH has been a collaborative partner of NAPPC since its inception in 1999.