Friday, June 26, 2009

GARDENING FOR POLLINATORS













Plan for a 10x12 feet butterfly garden from Better homes and Gardens, www.bhg.com



PLANT LIST
Star flower (Pentas lanceolata): Zones 9–10; annual elsewhere
Creeping zinnia (Sanvitalia procumbens ‘Sunbini’): Annual
Mealycup sage (Salvia farinacea ‘Victoria’): Zones 7–11 ; annual elsewhere
Sulfur flower (Cosmos sulfureus ‘Little Ladybird’): Annual
Spider flower (Cleome hasslerana ‘Rose Queen’): Annual
Mexican sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia ‘Torch’): Annual
Zinnia elegans ‘Cut and Come Again’: Annual
Zinnia Profusion Series: Annual
French marigold (Tagetes patula ‘Yellow Boy’): Annual





A bee in prepares to sip nectar in my garden.


A zebra swallowtail butterfly feasts on phlox in a sunny border.





The Sierra Club and National Wildlife Federation have me in their thrall. Not only have a signed up to make my garden a wildlife habitat, I may take the steps recommended to improve conditions for butterflies and bees. I already participate in the Save the Boxies project, designed to stop the deforestation of the eastern Box Turtle habitat in my neighborhood. Our latest victory was to persuade the mayor to change the town crew's schedule so that no mowing will be done when the boxies are most likely to be on the path of lawn mowers. Next we might try to have the speed limit lowered in our couple of blocks and if we want to be become the most hated people in the corporation we will petition to have all car traffic banned at the local park.
This, from the Wildlife Federation, www.nwf.org

Did you know that one out of every third bite of food comes to us
thanks to pollinators? From beautiful butterflies to busy bees, it’s
clear that
pollinators are essential to life on our planet.


But, declines in pollinators in North America and around the world
pose what could be a significant threat to biodiversity, global food
webs and human health.


Help pollinators in your neighborhood during National
Pollinator Week (June 22-28) by taking one or more of
these five simple actions:


Cone flower1. Use Native Plants
Hummingbird2. Hang Hummingbird Feeders
Bee3.Build a Bee House
Butterfly4. Plant a Butterfly Garden
Certified Wildlife Habitat(tm) sign5.CertifyYour Yard with National Wildlife Federation

Barbara Damrosch included a plan for a butterfly garden in her delightful book, Theme Gardens. Her instructions are useful to experienced gardens and a must for novices. I intend to discuss her garden plans in detail in future posts.

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