Mac Johnson Beginner's Pollinator Garden

As one of their 25th Anniversary projects, the Friends of Mac Johnson are pleased to announce completion of the first Phase of a Pollinator Garden for Beginners.  Maria Breton, a Friends’ member and owner of Well Grounded Gardens, designed, dug and planted this garden herself donating plants from her own farm and readily available species. She offers these tips to budding enthusiasts:

The goal is to offer continuous blooms throughout the season for pollinator birds, insects and butterflies to encourage them to return.

1. Start with several anchors for the garden: large perennials offer shade and attract different pollinators
2. Add smaller perennials that bloom at different times. Choose older varieties (non-hybrids) – they have better nectar. Disease resistant, low maintenance species are also preferred
3. Add early flowering, affordable annuals to attract pollinators before the perennials bloom.  Vary the height of selected plants.
4. Use soil with no commercial fertilizer so the plants can adapt to their natural setting. A three way mix with compost, peat and black earth works well. Add mulch (natural, no dyes) after waiting to see which plants grow.
5. Choose native plants where possible and allow them to “naturalize” (adapt to your setting).

Visitors can view the new garden behind the Kiosk at the Debruge Road parking lot. Starting in July, campers at the Frontenac Arch Biosphere camps will paint rocks to denote both the common and botanical names of each species of plant.

Maria’s choices for the Mac Johnson’s Beginner’s Pollinator Garden.  They include species that bloom all season, in mid-season and later in the summer; all are well-established species in this area: