What if we designed gardens with bees in mind—not just flowers, but the right flowers for the specific bee species that need them? In this episode, Jessica Gabler, an ecologist and landscape architect, shares her Target Species Planting concept, which identifies which pollen particular bee species need, then creates stunning perennial gardens that provide exactly that nutrition. As urban habitats shift and climate changes, precise pollinator-plant matching may be our best tool for supporting wild bees.

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Soil might not be the first thing you think of when you think about bees—but for most species, it’s home. In this episode, Dr. Marissa Chase shares new research from Minnesota prairies showing that soil sand content, not floral abundance, is the strongest predictor of where bees live. We explore why sand specialists don’t always choose the sandiest sites, what this means for rare and specialized species, and why many restoration projects still struggle to attract the bees they’re designed for. This episode will change the way you think about bee habitat—from the flowers we plant to the ground beneath them.

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Wildflower seed mixes are a go‑to strategy for supporting pollinators — but designing one that actually performs is more complex than it looks. Dr. Uta Müller shares her research on how grasses shape floral outcomes, why diverse mixes are more resilient, and how to design cost-effective mixes without sacrificing bloom. Whether you're enhancing a wildflower strip on farmland or restoring a native meadow, this episode reveals the design choices needed to create pollinator habitat that’s both beautiful and durable.

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