In honor of National Pollinator week (the last week in June) and to share with you the work and intentions put into the Howell Collective garden, we have created a video and the article below on native pollinators. Watch the DIY lo-fi video for information on specific native plants in the garden.
Part II:
Pollinators are a keystone species group; they play a critical role in the healthy functioning of our ecosystem. The vast majority of pollinators are insects and include bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, moths, and beetles.
Humans depend on pollinators for one out of three mouthfuls of food and drink. Most of the flowering plants in the world depend on pollinators to reproduce. Insects, birds, and many other animals depend on these plants for food and shelter.
One focus of the Howell Collective garden is to provide habitat for native pollinators. Most of our native bees (except bumble bees) are solitary bees and don’t live in colonies. They nest in the ground, holes in trees, dead wood, stems, and twigs. They are not aggressive and most would not sting unless seriously provoked by their nest or trapped. Native bees are more effective pollinators than honey bees of apples, cherries, blueberries, cranberries, and tomatoes because they are active in colder weather, in rain, and for longer periods in the growing season. Bumble bees are often the first bees active in spring and the last in fall. They buzz pollinate, using the vibration of their bodies to increase the release of pollen from flowers.
Our native pollinators are struggling, threatened by pollution, pesticide use, and loss of habitat and native host plants due to agriculture, urbanization, and invasive plant species. The once common western bumble bee has nearly disappeared from our area.
How can you help?
Provide habitat for a variety of species by planting a diversity of plants, preferably native. Native plants are adapted to our climate and soils; our wildlife and local pollinators are adapted to our native plants. Select plants with overlapping bloom times throughout spring, summer and fall to provide maximum food sources. Provide nesting, shelter and overwintering sites and materials by leaving woody debris, leaves and grass on the ground. Do not use pesticides. Insects play a crucial role in our ecosystem.
Like butterflies? Create a butterfly garden by choosing a sunny site that is protected from the wind. Provide both nectar sources and leaves for caterpillars to eat. Many of our local butterflies have very specific native larval host plants. Without these host plants, butterflies have nowhere to lay their eggs and will not stay in your garden. Butterflies also need a water source but do not drink from open water. They get water and minerals from mud. Leave a little dish of muddy soil out for them, perhaps lined with stones so they can easily perch to drink. Butterflies also like to bask in the sun and will appreciate flat stones on which to rest and sun themselves. Some butterflies overwinter as adults so leaving leaves and twigs on the ground during winter can provide shelter.
The Washington Butterfly Association has created a list of the common butterflies in the Puget Sound region and their preferred host and nectar plants. You can access the pdf here: http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabaws/gardening.htm
The Howell Collective garden currently has approximately 45 species of flowering perennials, about 30 of which are native shrub and herbaceous species. Our primary goal in choosing the plants for our borders is to provide habitat for a variety of local wildlife species, specifically pollinators and birds. We are working to establish a butterfly and hummingbird area as well. As the shrubs and flowers grow and attract wildlife, we will be monitoring and recording our visitors. We hope to have a lush, thriving habitat, providing homes for our local urban songbirds and pollinators.
Stop by and visit the garden at 16th and Howell. Watch us grow or get involved!
Please check out the Pollinator Pathway, a mile long pollinator corridor on Columbia Street. http://www.pollinatorpathway.com/
Sources for this article are from the Xerces Society http://www.xerces.org/
Special thanks to Go Natives! for plants and advice. http://gonatives.com/index.htm
Thanks to MsK nursery as well! http://www.msknursery.com/
See the Washington Native Plant Society for info on native plants http://www.wnps.org/
