Do you have a pollinator garden? Would you consider registering the garden in the Peterborough Pollinators 150+ Garden Challenge? Our goal is to register 150+ gardens in Peterborough and area. This is a celebration of both the importance of pollinators and of Canada’s 150th birthday. If you register before the end of August 2017, you will also receive a free sign (see below) and a 2017 Peterborough Pollinators calendar. The calendar is a treasure-trove of information on pollinators and local garden resources.

Be sure to register your pollinator garden in the Peterborough Pollinators 150 Garden Challenge – Drew Monkman

Cover of Peterborough Pollinator’s new 2017 calendar (photo by Ben Wolfe)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A pollinator garden is simply one that takes into account the needs of pollinators – bees, moths, beetles, butterflies and hummingbirds – by providing nectar and pollen. In doing so, the garden should be pesticide free, include plants of different colours, shapes and sizes, offer species that bloom from spring through fall, include a variety of native plants and provide some other habitat features such as a water source, bee nesting sites and larval plants such as milkweed for Monarch Butterfly caterpillars. If you feel that your garden meets at least three of these criteria OR you are willing to work towards meeting three or more criteria, please register at peterboroughpollinators.com/register

After you register, you can pick up your sign and calendar at GreenUp Ecology Park (weekends 10 to 4 pm & Thursdays 12-6 pm), located next to Beavermead Park on Ashburnham Drive. You will also receive a 10% reduction on the purchase of native plants. Alternatively, we can deliver them.

For more information, please visit peterboroughpollinators.com or send us an email Thank you for doing your part to help protect pollinators, and we look forward to seeing the sign proudly displayed in your garden.  Please invite friends with pollinator gardens to participate, as well!

Common Eastern Bumble Bee nectaring on apple blossoms – Margot Hughes

Green sweat bee on sundrop blossom – Drew Monkman


Drew Monkman

I am a retired teacher, naturalist and writer with a love for all aspects of the natural world, especially as they relate to seasonal change.