Certify Your Habitat

Photo: Eastern purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Join a community of dedicated pollinator guardians and let your neighbors know the fabulous fun you’re up to with Native Pollinator Garden Certification.

200+ Gardens Certified

Any garden can become a native pollinator habitat — even a patio pot.

Our Native Pollinator Garden Certification program allows residents in Western North Carolina to certify their garden as pollinator habitat. By displaying your optional habitat sign, you let your neighbors know that pollinators are important and show them what they can do to help. 

Our program has four tiers depending on the size and complexity of the garden. You can explore the criteria for each tier below.

It’s not a competition, though. We're all in this together—us and the pollinators. 

In the River Arts District, you can visit a large pollinator garden and meadow planted by Pollenteers in 2021.

Apply for certification and order your sign.

Your $10 certification fee helps keep this program running. You’ll also have the option to purchase sturdy sign ($35) to post in your habitat.

Tell us about your habitat.

Next, complete the application, capturing the many ways your garden provides habitat for pollinators. Is it an Egg, Caterpillar, Chrysalis or Butterfly habitat?

Enjoy a yard full of pollinators!

As you watch bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds in your garden, you can share the joy and raise awareness in your neighborhood.

Habitat Certification Tiers

As your garden grows you can move up in the tiers. Once again, this is not a competition—every single bit of habitat is helpful!

See the WNC Native Plant Lists for ideas for starter plants and more!

Tier 1: Egg

For the beginner gardener and/or those with spatial constraints. Feasible for an apartment balcony or pots on a small patio.

Egg Requirements:

  • 6 native perennial flowering species

  • Water source

  • Remove invasives

  • Avoid pesticides

Tier 2: Caterpillar

Attainable for beginners and easy for seasoned pros. Don't be discouraged by the tree/shrub elements – there are plenty of smaller, affordable options.

Caterpillar Requirements:

  • 2 native tree, shrub or vine species

  • 6 native perennial herbaceous species

    • At least 2 blooming in spring, summer and fall

  • Water source

  • 1 form of shelter

  • Remove invasives

  • Avoid pesticides

  • Limit artificial outdoor lighting

Tier 3: Chrysalis

If you're shooting for this level, ideally you already have a successful pollinator garden and might just need to add a few elements to become certified.

Chrysalis Requirements:

  • 3 native tree, shrub, or vine species

  • 9 native perennial herbaceous species

    • At least 3 blooming in spring, summer and fall

  • Water source

  • 2 forms of shelter

  • Remove invasives

  • Avoid pesticides

  • Limit artificial outdoor lighting

Tier 4: Butterfly

Your garden is a pollinator magnet! You've put in a lot of time and energy. You provide a wide variety of food and shelter for a diversity of pollinators.

Butterfly Requirements:

  • 5 native tree, shrub, or vine species

  • 15 native perennial herbaceous species

    • At least 5 blooming in spring, summer and fall

  • Water source

  • 3 forms of shelter

  • Remove invasives

  • Avoid pesticides

  • Limit artificial outdoor lighting

Carpenter bee on passionvine. Photo: Courtland White

WNC Native Plant Resources

Want to plant more native flowers and host plants, but not sure where to start? Our Native Plants page helps you find the perennials, shrubs, and trees you need.

Bumble bee on Monarda. Photo: Amy Landers

Pollinator Gardening Principles

A full-fledged pollinator habitat has many elements—here are the elements we've deemed integral to each habitat and why.

Certify Your Pollinator Garden Webinar

Ruth Gonzalez of Reems Creek Nursery and the Bee City USA - Asheville Leadership Committee delves into certifying your garden in this video. Enjoy!

Certified Garden Recognition

Each certified gardener receives a digital certificate recognizing your contributions to healthy habitat to support pollinators and making our home a better place to live.

You can also choose to add your garden to the interactive map.

Optionally, you can order an 11" x 8.5" composite aluminum sign. Not only do they look awesome, these signs are our best tools for spreading awareness, helping to shift the paradigm away from massive turf lawns.