I’m want to plant some “annual” flowers, in Northern Illinois, that are pollinator magnets; looking for suggestions. I already have Illinois native plants growing in my yard, but city ordinances limit the amount of native perennials i can plant… I also have annual French Marigolds that bloom from …

A lot of wildflowers are annuals or biannuals, so I don’t understand the distinction they are making. It sounds like the restrictions mostly apply to taller plants. Can you use groundcover? You may be able to find creeping mints or sedums that spread out horizontally rather than vertically and don’…

That garden looks awesome! Good luck with your ordinance disputes.

I would be suggesting to the neighbour that he cleans out his shed, does some repair work on the entry points and/or keeps a cat in there. His shed is obviously attractive to mice and it is his responsibility to make it less attractive to them.

I agree. The flowers aren’t the problem; the shed is the problem. There used to be stray cats in the neighborhood, and we didn’t have a mouse problem when the cats where here. He trapped the cats and dumped them off somewhere. Now he has mice in his shed, I am not surprised.

I think you’re right. The city doesn’t want tall weedy looking flowers. I suspect annuals stay green until frost, or discarded, while some of perennials turn brown after they bloom; which makes them look weedy. The city also doesn’t want them to attract pests. I’m considering getting rid of some of…

For one thing I wonder if the city employee you spoke to was lying and/or mistaken. A city ordinance should be publicly available in writing, so you can see for yourself exactly what it says, not have to go by one person’s vague paraphrasing. I’d be very surprised if it actually specifies “annuals…

[image] wmct276: I suspect annuals stay green until frost, or discarded, while some of perennials turn brown after they bloom; which makes them look weedy. The city also doesn’t want them to attract pests. So, the problem with some annuals is that, depending on what they are, they can create …

[1000136310] Is this the ordinance for your city?

Have long appreciated this site: https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/

It looks like you already have a nice pollinator garden with all your perennials! As far as annuals, I whole-heartedly agree with the already mentioned Zinnias. They are readily available, easy to grow, and stay short and tidy looking, so they shouldn’t draw complaints. Also lots of herbs attract …

Suggestions for Annual Flowers that are Pollinator Magnets

Nature Talk

tb2022 February 1, 2026, 10:33pm 27

If they specify the height limit with a precision of 100µm, they have not given this regulation a reality check. That is about 1.2 hairsbreadths.

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Suggestions for Annual Flowers that are Pollinator Magnets

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