What We Did

The Pond Park Native Pollinator Garden is an educational tool and demonstration of how to use native plants of our region can be done on public and private property. These gardens encourage a diverse population native pollinators, birds, and wildlife essential to build a healthy ecosystem. This will also be a step toward creating important pathways for native pollinators to properly travel and have the appropriate vegetation necessary for their survival.

It is composed of native plants, ecoregional straight species (no fancy names in quotes" ") to this area. These will include keystone plants, and important pollinator host plants. Plants have been selected to ensure both nectar and pollen access to pollinators throughout the majority of the time they require these resources (approximately April to October). Plants should be planted in massing configuration to encourage and allow proper foraging opportunities to the intended native pollinators.

Plants/Seeds Selection:

1. Select plants appropriate for the conditions of the location the plants will be added.

• Sun/Part-Shade/Shade

• Dry/Average/Wet

2. Select plants that are from specific eco-region for where the garden will be located as well as straight species and not cultivars. This is important for the pollinators to be able to find and gather nectar and pollen. Cultivars may not have the appropriate colors for pollinators to locate them or may have been bred to have formations that will not allow the pollinators to collect nectar/pollen.

3. Select plants that will bloom throughout and not have gaps in bloom time. This ensures that pollen and nectar sources are available at all times.

Area prep: if possible remove any invasive and/or non-native plants/grass. No need to amend the site with compost or soils. No fertilizer or chemicals of any kind should be used especially insecticides including spraying for mosquitoes.

Management/Maintenance: will require no mowing of the area especially during early spring to late fall when pollinators require everything for food, and host plants. Pesticides sprayed in the area will be detrimental to the existing ecology as well as the newly developing ecology.