FAQS
(Frequently Asked Questions)
(Frequently Asked Questions)
Why is horsepen run a good pollinator spot?
Horsepen Run is good spot for a pollinator garden because it will benefit the many animals that call it home.
Horsepen Run is a great pollinator spot because there is a good amount of wildlife to aid in the pollination process.
It also is a nice place for all of the people who walk, run, or bike on the path to relax!
Why do we need pollinators? Why do we care?
Pollinators are very important in an ecosystem. They help plants species grow and thrive. Without pollinators, many plant species would die out because bees carry around pollen (the itchy stuff you are allergic to!) and deposit it on flowers, helping them reproduce. You may be thinking 'Who cares if a few plants die?', but we depend on plants. We eat plants, and other animals that eat plants. If the plants we eat die, then we die too. Even one species of plant going extinct, even if we don't eat it, and it isn't eaten by animals, can have catastrophic effects on our environment, and possibly our whole world.
What plants are we choosing?
All the plants we are choosing are native to Virginia, as to not invite any invasive species into the area. Here is a list of the plants we are using:
> Early Goldenrod (Solidago juncea)
> Gray Goldenrod (S. nemoralis)
> Erect Goldenrod (S. erecta)
> Smooth Blue Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)
> Hyssop-Leaved Boneset/Thoroughwort (E. hyssopifolium)
> Shrubby St. John's Wort (Hypericum prolificum)
> Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
> Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
> Black Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta)
> Blue False Indigo (Baptisia australis)
> Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea)
> Narrow-Leaved Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium)
> Threadleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata)
> Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)
> Hollow Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium fistulosum)
Who is it for?
Well, it's for the bees and pollinators! We are putting a couple bee houses in the garden, so that we can help the bees reproduce! The garden will help all the wildlife, from helping the local plants re-populate, to the animals,
Check out our "Links and other Information" page to learn more!