Pollinator Garden
Established November 2014
In 2014, The Pollinator Garden started out as The Butterfly Garden but we soon realized it was home to a lot more than just butterflies! The original design focused on plants that support butterfly larvae (caterpillar) feeding and nectar sources for adults. This diverse mix of flowering plants also attracts honey bees, native bees, hover flies, solitary wasps and many other beneficial insects, leading us to rename it the Pollinator Garden. In 2023 the Bay County Public Library Foundation added a Free Little Library and we encourage visitors to take a book or leave a book!
The Pollinator Garden is insect-friendly and is usually full of buzzing visitors. Please use caution if you are allergic to insect stings. Although normally not aggressive toward people, if accidental contact is made or a threat to a nest is perceived it could lead to defensive behavior.
This garden is located on the corner of East 14th Street and North James Avenue.
Click on underlined plant name for more details and photos!
African Iris (Dietes vegeta)
Aquatic Milkweed (Asclepias perennis)
Beach Rosemary (Conradina canescens)
Beach Sunflower (Helianthus debilis)
Bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus)
Candlestick Cassia (Cassia alata)
Coontie (Zamia floridana)
Cutleaf Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata)
Darrow's Blueberry (Vaccinium darrowii)
Dotted Horsemint (Monarda punctata)
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
Firebush (Hamelia patens)
Firespike (Odontonema sp.)
Frogfuit (Phyla nodiflora)
Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosum)
Giant Ironweed (Vernonia gigantea)
Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)
Lylreleaf Sage (Salvia lyrata)
Maypop (Passiflora incarnata)
Mexican Heather (Cuphea hyssopifolia)
Mexican Sage (Salvia leucantha)
Narrow-leaf Sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius)
Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
Pentas (Pentas lanceolata)
Scarlet Hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus)
Scarlet Sage (Salvia coccinea)
Stoke's Aster (Stokesia laevis)
Tickseed (Coreopsis sp.)
Wild Petunia (Ruellia caroliniensis)
Wild White Indigo (Baptisia alba)
On February 6, 2023, the Bay County Public Library Foundation installed and stocked a Little Free Library in the Pollinator Garden. We are thrilled to have this feature added to the garden!
How it works: books are free for anyone to take and you can also donate books by placing them in the Little Free Library. You are not required to leave a book or return the one you take. No library cards or signing out, just enjoy access to free books for you and your family!
There are a variety of books for all ages and reading levels. Please be sure to close the box after accessing to protect the books from weather.
To find a Little Free Library near you check out the map functions on these sites:
https://littlefreelibrary.org/map/