Have you heard about the Million Pollinator Gardens initiative? I just added mine to their map yesterday. If you have a pollinator garden of any size, won’t you consider adding your’s to this great cause?
I have been working on three pollinator flower bed areas for a couple of years. Being sure to include water sources. I use flowering vines such as Passiflora, native shrubs, fruit (blueberry, kumquat, pomegranite, raspberry, blackberry, and hopefully soon fruit from grape and muscadine), herbs, and annuals and perennials (native and non-native). Some plants work, some struggle and some do not survive. But it is all fun and for a great cause.
I recently re-hung a bat house the squirrels had worked over in a terrible way. A bee “hotel” is my newest addition.
The USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service has some good pollinator garden/habitat information. Remember, you are providing food, shelter and water. The type needed will change depending on the life stage of the particular organism you are hoping to attract.
Other ways you can make your friendly garden official is to certify it through programs such as the National Wildlife Federation’s Certified Wildlife Habitat (they have a $10 off bonus during Pollinator Week, just check out their website for details and the code) and North American Butterfly Association’s Certified Butterfly Garden programs. I have done both of these. The signage you are able to purchase once you have a paid certification is attractive and educational and looks swell placed into your landscape/garden.
Yours in Gardening,
The Garden Maiden
All images and text copyright 2018 The Garden Maiden
The Garden Maiden 