SEED ORDERS OVER $100 SHIP FREE!
The Colossal Pollinator Garden Kit

50 plants

$199.00
In Stock

Details

Sun Exposure
Full
Soil Moisture
Medium, Medium-Dry
Height
1-4 feet
Advantages
Pollinator Favorite: butterflies, moths, bees, wasps, beetles
Bird Favorite: seeds, insects, fruit, nectar, nesting, perch
USDA Zones
3-9
Plant Spacing
2-3'
Catalog Code
COLOSSAL-T

Pre-order now for Spring 2024 delivery!
For Medium to Medium-Dry soils and near Full Sun exposure. Shorter stature, 12 species (11 forbs, 1 grass).
More plants = more pollinators!  If you have the space, be a hero and plant this garden kit.  At under $4 per plant, it is our most affordable garden kit!
With a unique amphitheater design and a vibrant layering of colors, this kit is a dazzling, diverse collection for gardener and pollinator alike. Wild Indigo and New Jersey Tea serve as stunning ornamentals even when not in bloom, and summer brings blooms of orange, purples, blues and yellows. As autumn falls, Aster and Blazing Star blooms remain with the regal mounds of  Dropseed and Bluestem grasses. This Garden Kit also features several host plants, including Butterfly Weed which acts as a host for Monarch butterflies.

Included with each order, Planting and Care Instructions & Layout Suggestions for Planting (see COMPONENTS tab)

Tray Details: 
• Each of the 50 plant cells are 5” deep x 2.25” wide at top
• 1 tag per plant will be provided
• Recommended spacing is one plant / 2-3 sq. ft.; Kit covers approx. 120-150 sq. ft.


*Please note: We may need to substitute appropriate species without notice due to unforeseen greenhouse failures or shortages.


View Interactive Components and utilize our filter functions HERE


Live Plant Shipping Table

Spring Fall Age/Size
Potted Trays of 50 May-June August 2" wide x 5" deep plugs

15 Questions asked on The Colossal Pollinator Garden Kit

How long will it take for this garden to start blooming?
These potted plants are 4-6 months old. We can never guarantee a bloom the year of transplant but most species will bloom the 2nd year if their environment is right.
For what planting zones is the pollinator garden appropriate?
We recommend this kit for zones 3-8. As long as you meet appropriate sun and soil conditions you may find success outside of this range as long as extra attention is provided during the establishment phase.
I’m looking for a low maintenance garden, would this be a good option? Will I need to spend much time containing any potential opportunistic plants in this garden?
The species in this garden kit are well-behaved and should not present future control problems. One advantage of this tray of young seedlings is that transplants can be placed where you want them, according to your site needs and design plan. There will be effort required to weed between the plants and ensure that they have sufficient water and sunlight, but little ongoing effort beyond removing dead top growth each spring should be required.
Hi! We are considering this kit for a space in our back yard that we cleared, however, we get a lot of deer in our yard. Are many of the plants in this kit relatively deer resistant? Thanks for any help!
Great question! Most of the plants are deer resistant- Anise Hyssop, Butterfly Weed, Pale Purple Coneflower, Button Blazing Star, Wild Bergamot, Hairy Mountain Mint, Orange Coneflower, and both grasses. However, when they’re young, their deer resistance typically hasn’t kicked in yet and they’ll still require some protection. Of course if the deer in your area are that hungry, you may still find yourself having to take deer preventative measures even once the plants are mature.
Will this spread over time beyond the 150sf?
Hi Mia, Yes, it is possible that these plants could spread beyond 150 square feet over time. Once mature, the plants will produce their own viable seed, and some species may also spread slowly from their roots.
I’m considering this kit for our easement (between the street and sidewalk) in an urban area. Is this kit salt-tolerant?
Hi Monica, Searching "Salt" on our website brings up this list of species known to be salt tolerant. Several species on this list are in the Colossal Pollinator kit. While others may not be, we have seen them do well in boulevard plantings.
Two questions: -will these plants do well in heavy clay soil? -recommend planting area is 120-150sq.ft. Will I get better weed control and will the plants thrive if I reduce the garden space (say cut sq.ft. in half to approximately 75 sq.ft.)?
Hi Craig, Several of the species will do just fine in heavy clay, but some will probably struggle if the clay is too dense. Planting closer together will probably make weed control easier, but in the long run, it could lead to greater competition among your garden plants, so some may struggle to grow to their full potential.
I have sandy, well draining soil but get a fair amount of rain or could provide water regularly. Would this kit do well in that kind of soil?
Hi Beth, This kit should do very well in your soil! You may want to keep it watered during a drought while the plants get established in their new home, but after that, they should tolerate drought quite well on their own.
I love the layout suggestion. I'm trying to ease my neighborhood into native plants so I'm trying to keep things looking more on the garden side of things. Would you recommend grouping all like plants together to achieve this or just let my neighbors deal with it? :)
Hi Bethany, I think grouping like plants would definitely help achieve a more manicured garden look, although having little breaks in the groupings (like our suggestion) does help to create visual interest. Adding a formal border to the garden area like mulch, stone, or low decorative fencing would help as well.
Hi, we're considering this planting for a new bed that runs alongside a corn field at our rural home. We would be replacing plain old lawn with these plants. We have medium clay soil. Should we amend beyond adding compost before we plant these? And should we till the lawn? Thanks in advance!
Hi Jessica, This kit should do fine in your yard without soil amendments. Compost may actually be too rich for some of the plants in this kit. There is research showing that several prairie plant species (including Butterfly Milkweed) do better as seedlings without compost. Tilling several times throughout the growing season is one method of killing your lawn and controlling weeds before planting, but tilling is not necessary. You may be better off if you simply remove or kill the sod and plant directly into your existing soil.
Two questions--is there a more shade tolerant version? I already have most of my full-sun areas packed with natives and perennials. Also, is there a smaller version of this kit? Since my available planting area is small, I don't need COLOSSAL, as much as I'd like it!
Hi Linda, We've got the perfect garden kit for you! Check out the Semi-Shade Woodland Garden! We offer this one in the spring. I recommend putting it on your Wish List so you are notified when it is available to order!
I am interested in planting in the fall but as I’m in north GA it can still be pretty hot into early September. Does this set actually ship in middle August or does it vary by zone?
Hi Chris, You can opt for a ship date on the 30th of August, otherwise it will ship out on the 16th. It is ideal if you can put them in the ground right away, but if you have to wait a week or two for a relatively cool day, just be sure to keep them well watered in their pots. If you have to transplant in the heat, keep them well watered until the weather starts to cool a bit.
Will survival be reduced if planted in August versus waiting until spring in areas with harsh winters? Can these plants establish themselves in 2-3 months? Thanks.
Hi Heidi, These plants do quite well with a late-summer/early-fall transplant! They should have plenty of time to get their roots established before winter.
We're set to get our order next month. Any suggestions on how to protect the young plants from deer while letting any pollinators get to them?
Hi Jack. Yes, there will be plants in this kit the deer won't like, but there will also be plants like candy to them (asters!). With any new planting - deer resistant plant or not - we would advise caging the young plants. We use old tomato cages, chicken wire, anything to deter them from coming close. Once the plants establish, they should be able to recover from early-season browsing.
Hi! I live in CT, is there an easy way for me to confirm if all the plants in this kit are generally native to the North East, or do I need to look up each one? Also will the plants in this kit bloom the 1st year planted? Thanks! Christine
Hi Christine. We never guarantee a bloom on 1st year transplanted perennials - but I bet a few of them in the kit will bloom for you.

As for nativity, yes, in the product description there is a link: "View Interactive Components and utilize our filter functions HERE" - click on that and you will be brought to a backend category where you can filter by NATIVE RANGE.

Seed

Growing your own plants from seed is the most economical way to add natives to your home. Before you get started, one of the most important things to know about the seeds of wild plants is that many have built-in dormancy mechanisms that prevent the seed from germinating. In nature, this prevents a population of plants from germinating all at once, before killing frosts, or in times of drought. To propagate native plants, a gardener must break this dormancy before seed will grow.

Each species is different, so be sure to check the GERMINATION CODE listed on the website, in the catalog, or on your seed packet. Then, follow the GERMINATION INSTRUCTIONS prior to planting. Some species don't need any pre-treatment to germinate, but some species have dormancy mechanisms that must be broken before the seed will germinate. Some dormancy can be broken in a few minutes, but some species take months or even years.

Seed dormancy can be broken artificially by prolonged refrigeration of damp seed in the process of cold/moist STRATIFICATION. A less complicated approach is to let nature handle the stratifying through a dormant seeding, sowing seeds on the surface of a weed-free site in late fall or winter. Tucked safely beneath the snow, seeds will be conditioned by weathering to make germination possible in subsequent growing seasons.

To learn more, read our BLOG: How to Germinate Native Seeds

Dormant Bare Root Plants

We dig plants when they are dormant from our outdoor beds and ship them April-May and October. Some species go dormant in the summer and we can ship them July/August. We are among the few still employing this production method, which is labor intensive but plant-friendly. They arrive to you dormant, with little to no top-growth (bare-root), packed in peat moss. They should be planted as soon as possible. Unlike greenhouse-grown plants, bare-root plants can be planted during cold weather or anytime the soil is not frozen. A root photo is included with each species to illustrate the optimal depth and orientation. Planting instructions/care are also included with each order.

Download: Installing Your Bare-Root Plants

Potted Plants

3-packs and trays of 32, 38, or 50 plants leave our Midwest greenhouses based on species readiness (being well-rooted for transit) and order date; Spring shipping is typically early May through June, and Fall shipping is mid-August through September. Potted 3-packs and trays of 38 plugs are started from seed in the winter so are typically 3-4 months old when they ship. Trays of 32/50 plugs are usually overwintered so are 1 year old. Plant tray cells are approximately 2” wide x 5” deep in the trays of 38 and 50, and 2.5" wide x 3.5" deep in the 3-packs and trays of 32; ideal for deep-rooted natives. Full-color tags and planting & care instructions are included with each order.

Download: Planting and Care of Potted Plants

For the Garden Kit trays, we may need to substitute appropriate species without notice due to shortages later in the season or unforeseen greenhouse failures.
Shipping & Handling Charges:
For Potted Plant orders $50.00 and under: $9.00
For Potted Plant orders over $50.00: add 18% of the total plant cost.

We ship potted trays with UPS, and SpeeDee in the Midwest, so we must have a street address. Long-distance shipments (to the East Coast and West) taking 3 or more days are only shipped on Mondays to prevent plants from drying out over the weekend.

Potted plants in this kit are either overwintered plants coming out of dormancy or 1st year plants started this past winter; growth for both types are weather-dependant.  Plants must be large and well-rooted to stay in their cells during shipment. Our greenhouses are located in the Upper Midwest, and due to the challenges of getting all the species in the Mix & Match and Pre-Designed Garden Kits transit-ready at the same time, we typically can't ship earlier than advertised.

*We are unable to ship potted or bare root plants outside the contiguous US or to California due to government regulations.