I love springtime! Everything is so fresh, so green, so full of blooming life. And the mosquitos and other annoying bugs aren’t out yet, so I can sit on my doorstep and enjoy the blossoms and scents without getting eaten alive.

I’m careful about which bugs are good for the garden, and which ones to squish. Even some of the squishable ones can be considered good, since they attract other critters that eat them, and the birdies I love to watch.

A gal I see on facebook posts multiple times a day about the harm lawns do. Harm? Lawns? Yep. They are essentially dead spaces, chock full of the chemical and solutions people spray to keep weeds down and grass greener.

She exhorts us to stop spraying, start planting pollinator-attracting plants. I share all of her posts. She’s right on.

Because – did you know that just ONE drop of a pesticide or herbicide can kill an enormous number bees and other beneficial bugs? There go the pollinators. The bumble bees, the honey bees, the carpenter bees, the in-the-ground bees, and the moths and butterflies and other flying and crawling bugs that help keep our gardens – and us! – alive.

Consider: our dogs and cats and other critters walk on or roll around on our sprayed lawns – and then we bring them inside and pet them and kiss them, and we and our babies and little kids get covered with that crap!

And not just on our own lawns – public parks, dog parks, lawns in front of public buildings – and all along highways and local roads, along ponds and lakes – it’s everywhere!

WHAT ARE WE DOING, POISONING EVERYTHING???

Humans have an innate kill-consciousness. We kill anything we deem dangerous.

But we kill things that are meant to be alive to keep the natural balance in order. We choose pretty square boring yards the HOAs approve of, that husbands delight in riding their toy mowers around on, and miles and miles of carefully-trimmed golf courses.

Soon we’ll be starving, eating the brown, dried up grass itself. We absolutely must change our ways, so we can celebrate every spring, on into the future.

What can you change right now about your own yard or place?

Go for it. Stop spraying! Start planting plants good for bees and birdies!

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CELEBRATE SPRING
© Angela Treat Lyon 2025

Read more of my stories here:
https://lyonlyon.substack.com

This is what I got when I googled good+plants+for+pollinator+gardens:

You can attract a variety of pollinators by planting plants like bee balm, milkweed, purple coneflower, wild bergamot, anise hyssop, and goldenrod, along with herbs like lavender and oregano.

Focus on native plants:Native plants are adapted to the local climate and soil conditions and are often the preferred food sources for local pollinators.

Consider a variety of bloom times:
Plant a mix of early, mid, and late-blooming plants to ensure a continuous food source for pollinators throughout the growing season.

Provide a mix of flower shapes and colors:
Pollinators may be attracted to different shapes and colors, so a variety of blooms can increase the appeal of your garden.

Consider the needs of different pollinators:
Some plants are specifically known to attract bees, butterflies, or other insect pollinators.

Choose plants that are pest-free:
Some plants may be susceptible to pests or diseases, so choosing pest-resistant varieties can ensure the health of your plants and the overall success of your pollinator garden.

Help pollinators by growing a diversity of native plants in your space. Our regional native plants can be grown across rural and urban landscapes to create new pollinator habitat or to enhance existing habitat.

This website has good lists of plants:
https://xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/pollinator-friendly-plant-lists

“…plant lists include key flowering plants that provide pollinators with nectar and pollen. We also highlight host plants for caterpillars of butterflies and moths, plants that provide nest sites or nesting materials for above-ground nesting bees, and plants that support specialist bees that require pollen from certain plants. Our lists also note those plants that support beneficial insects such as predatory or parasitoid insects that help to control pests of ornamental and crop plants.”

Go for it. Stop spraying! Start planting plants good for bees and birdies!