Provide shelter.

Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators need shelter from elements, predators and a place to raise young. You can go natural by allowing some of the garden or shrubs to grow wild. Leaving lawn clippings or dead trees to decompose in the sun to give solitary bees, butterflies and caterpillars tons of nooks and crannies to hide. Artificial nesting boxes can offer shelter for bees and butterflies, too.

Provide food and water.

The flowers in your garden will provide pollen and nectar for bees, butterflies and other insects. Pay special attention to the types of caterpillar host plants you include (without caterpillars, you have no butterflies). Including some sort of vine legume (peas, beans), wisteria or hog peanut will give butterflies a place to lay eggs and somewhere for caterpillars to feed and eventually cocoon. You may want to add a few specialty feeders to your garden for hummingbirds. Bees, birds and butterflies need water, too. Install a water feature, birdbath or catch basin to collect rainfall.

Size does not matter.

Your garden can take up the entire yard or can be as small as a window box or few containers. The most important thing is to choose a mix of native annuals and perennials that bloom in succession and include plants like, dill or milkweed, for butterfly larvae to feed from. You would be surprised how just a few small spaces in the neighborhood can be enough to reestablish healthy populations of pollinators.