How to Plant a Pollinator Garden in Western Montana

Which pollinators live in a western Montana yard?

Mostly native bees, plus butterflies, moths, flies and others. The MSU MontGuide Creating Native Bee Habitat for Gardens in Montana and the Rocky Mountain Region says most native bees are solitary: a single female finds or digs a nest, provisions it with pollen and nectar, and lays her eggs. Bumble bees are social, but their colonies are small and die each fall, starting again in spring from overwintered queens. The honey bee is a non-native, managed species.

The same publication points out that bees are central place foragers. They can only fly a certain distance from the nest, from a few hundred feet to several miles depending on the species, so food and nesting sites need to be close together. A yard that has both is far more useful than one that has only flowers.

Where do native bees nest?

Mostly in the ground. MSU estimates that approximately 70 percent of native bee species nest below ground, digging tunnels in soil or using old rodent burrows, and approximately 30 percent nest in cavities above ground: old beetle holes in wood, hollow or pithy plant stems and twigs. Sweat bees, mining bees, digger bees and long-horned bees are common ground nesters in home landscapes; mason bees and leafcutting bees are common cavity nesters.

That has a direct design consequence. MSU says access to undisturbed, bare soil is considered one of the most important factors for nesting habitat, and recommends leaving small bare areas behind and under shrubs, within beds and around ornamental grasses, protected from foot traffic and chemicals.

Does mulch or landscape fabric hurt bees?

It can. MSU's bee habitat MontGuide notes that some mulches create a barrier between bees and the soil. It suggests leaving some areas mulch free, using thin layers of compost or shredded leaves where mulch is needed, and avoiding hard mulches such as wood, plastic and rock, which can be virtually impenetrable for most bees. Landscape fabric should also be avoided. MSU's pollinator-friendly landscape article makes the same point, recommending that hard mulches be limited.

You do not have to give up mulch. Most beds still benefit from it for water and weeds. The practical approach is a few unmulched sunny pockets, tucked out of the way, and no fabric under beds you want bees to use.

What should bloom when?

Something should be flowering from April into October. MSU says early spring and late summer to fall bloom are especially vital because food is scarce then compared with midsummer. The NRCS publication Montana Native Plants for Pollinator-Friendly Plantings charts bloom periods for common natives, and it gives a usable sequence for western Montana yards.

Early: skunkbush sumac blooms in April before its leaves open; golden currant, chokecherry, American plum and redosier dogwood bloom April to May; serviceberry and silver buffaloberry May to June. Late spring and early summer: Lewis flax from mid-May, fuzzytongue penstemon May to June, prairie coneflower from June, common snowberry June to August. Midsummer: Woods rose and blue elderberry in July, wild beebalm July to August, blanketflower and common yarrow July to September. Late: dotted gayfeather and purple coneflower August to September, rabbitbrush August to October, and smooth blue aster from August through frost.

Which plants do MSU and NRCS recommend for Montana pollinators?

The 2025 MSU MontGuide Native Plants for Montana's Home Gardens rates its list for pollinator value and drought resistance. Its perennial forbs include common yarrow, blue giant hyssop, nodding onion, showy milkweed, purple prairie clover, narrowleaf purple coneflower, blanketflower, sticky purple geranium, prairie smoke, Lewis flax, silvery lupine, wild bergamot, several penstemons, upright prairie coneflower, goldenrods and smooth blue aster. The bitterroot itself, Lewisia rediviva, is on the list.

MSU's guide makes a point worth repeating: native plants and native pollinators evolved together, and some pollinators specialize on certain plants, so diversity matters. It also notes that some nativars (cultivars of natives) may be less useful to native insects, especially those with altered leaf color or sterile flowers. The MSU bee habitat MontGuide adds that pollinator plants do not have to be native to be useful, so long as something is in bloom across the season. For a broader native palette see native plants for the Bitterroot Valley and hardy perennials.

Do shrubs matter in a pollinator garden?

They carry the early season. Several of the earliest blooms in the NRCS chart are shrubs: currant, chokecherry, plum, serviceberry and sumac. The NRCS guide describes golden currant as growing 3 to 6 feet tall with low water use and full sun, chokecherry 10 to 15 feet and suckering, and Woods rose 4 to 5 feet tall, suckering to a 4 to 10 foot spread. Size matters in a small yard, so read the mature spread before planting.

Woody plants also provide nesting. MSU's pollinator article suggests native plants with hollow or pithy stems, such as elderberry and raspberry, cut at varying heights between 8 and 24 inches so cavity-nesting bees can use the stems in spring. Our guide to shrubs for western Montana covers sizes and site needs.

Should you leave stems and leaves over winter?

Some of them, yes. MSU recommends delaying garden cleanup and leaving dead flower stalks, stems and leaf litter in designated areas, because they provide nesting and overwintering habitat for bumble bees and butterflies and break down to return nutrients to the soil. The bee habitat MontGuide suggests cutting old stalks back in early spring to varying heights, which leaves hollow or pithy stems for bees to nest in that season.

This is where a pollinator garden and a tidy front yard can coexist. Leave the stems in the back beds and side yards, cut the front border in fall, and do the rest of the cleanup in spring. Our fall cleanup crews can work to that kind of plan. In fire-prone areas, keep dry stems and leaf litter out of the first five feet of the house; see Zone 0.

Are bee hotels a good idea?

Only if you maintain them. MSU says nest boxes can be built by drilling holes between 3/32 and 3/8 inch in diameter, at least 4 to 6 inches deep, into untreated wood, spaced 3/4 inch apart and closed at one end. Tunnels 3 inches or shorter produce fewer female offspring. Boxes should be mounted 4 to 6 feet high facing south or southeast, sheltered from afternoon sun and away from bird feeders.

The caution is real: MSU warns that nest boxes concentrate bees, need regular inspection and annual sanitation, and that poorly managed boxes can do more harm than good. Leaving pithy stems standing in the garden is the lower-maintenance option and, in MSU's words, more closely mimics what happens in nature.

Do pollinators need water?

A little. MSU notes bees get most of their moisture from nectar but also use water to make mud for nests. A shallow dish or bird bath filled with pebbles works, emptied and cleaned regularly so it does not breed mosquitoes. Some mason bees need bare mud, so a damp, unmulched corner near a drip emitter is useful too.

How do you handle pests in a pollinator garden?

With integrated pest management. MSU's pollinator article recommends choosing hardy, pest-resistant plants, using physical controls such as row covers and hand-picking, avoiding broad-spectrum insecticides that hit non-target insects including pollinators, and following label directions exactly when a pesticide is used. Weeds are a separate question: Montana's noxious weeds still have to be controlled, and spot treatment is a different thing from blanket spraying a yard.

We are licensed for fertilizer, weed and pesticide application and work in yards with pollinator plantings regularly. Our fertilizer and weed control service targets problem weeds rather than the whole property, and our guide to Ravalli County noxious weeds explains the landowner duty.

How do you establish a pollinator garden from seed or plants?

Start weed free. The NRCS pollinator guide says most natives do not compete well with weeds, recommends starting with a weed-free area and keeping weeds down for the first two to three years, and notes that flowering plants can be started from seed while shrubs establish better as transplants. It recommends watering native shrubs weekly or every two weeks for the first two to three years. MSU's 2025 MontGuide adds that late fall is the best time to seed most native forbs and grasses, because many need a cold period to germinate, while transplants do well in spring or early fall.

MSU also warns that seed mixes not sourced locally may contain non-native or invasive species, or annuals that look showy in year one and fade after. Read the label or buy from Montana sources. Our guide to spring garden bed prep covers getting the ground ready.

Can HJ build a pollinator garden?

Yes. Pollinator beds are a natural fit for our landscaping design work: we plan the bed, prepare the soil, set drip irrigation, plant, and leave a maintenance plan that respects nesting habitat. It fits well with a xeriscape conversion or with part of a lawn being retired. This guide is part of our Montana Landscaping, Lawn & Irrigation Guide.

Call HJ Property Care & Tree Service at (406) 215-7319 or request a free estimate and we will walk the property with you.

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