– Saint John Chrysostom
Heading into Spring, it’s easy to get caught up in the prettiness and sheer exuberance of the season. The garden changes literally from one day to the next, and there seems to be a million tasks to attend to, not to mention the great improvements we may have been thinking about over the Winter. Amid all that busyness, let’s keep one group of very small but important visitors to the garden in mind: pollinators.
The absolutely essential activities of pollinators cannot be overstated. It’s estimated that approximately 35% of global food production is reliant on pollinators, and 80% of flowering plants depend on pollinators to reproduce (source: Pollinator Partnership Canada). While honeybees come quickly to mind, there are many other organisms who act as pollinators, such as butterflies, solitary bees, beetles, and even birds and bats. Seeing a garden full of joyful industry is not only beautiful but deeply rewarding. From the buzz of gentle solitary bees and bumblebees to the enchanting flutter of butterflies and birds, a healthy garden space speaks to us in a very pure way.
The most obvious way to help pollinators is in the choice of plants in our outdoor spaces. Flowers such as Echinacea (coneflowers), Monarda (beebalm) and Buddleia (butterfly bushes) definitely provide nectar for pollinators but so do plants such as Euonymus shrubs and Pachysandra ground cover when they are in bloom. Having a range of flowering plants – even if not all the flowers themselves are particularly showy – can help provide food for pollinators from April to November. Another great way to help insect pollinators such as solitary bees and bumblebees, as well as beetles, is to leave a few quiet corners of the garden just a little messy. Having little undisturbed spaces with overlying dried leaves and twigs will allow our peaceful ground dwelling insect friends places to build their homes. Another valuable garden addition is a water source for pollinators, which can be as simple as just a shallow terracotta saucer with some stones for the teeny critters to rest on while they take a drink.
Want to make your garden a healthier, more beautiful place to be? Keep pollinators as your motivators and you can’t go wrong. Need some help? Reach out and we’ll make it happen.