When thinking about protecting pollinators – don’t just think showy!
Today I ventured out in the Penn State Extension – Bucks County Demonstration Gardens. These gardens are thoughtfully designed and lovingly cared for by the Bucks County Master Gardeners. They are designed and cared for with education in mind. This means we use the gardens as a place to learn and a place to experiment. This also means these gardens, and similar gardens at extension offices across the state are there for you to explore, examine and learn from. Stop in for a visit!
As I wandered today I noticed Monarda “Raspberry Wine” in full bloom and abuzz with numerous pollinator species. Of course the magenta flowers of this native perennial are attractive to the pollinators. (Attractive to Japanese Beetles too, as you will see in one photo!) and because they are so vibrant you may automatically assume they are covered in pollinators and keep the chemical applications to a minimum in its vicinity. But I encourage you to take a closer look at the residents of the landscape with more subtle flowers. For instance, the Pycnathemum muticum, Mountain Mint, blooming in the Native Plant Demonstration garden was absolutely loaded with pollinators as well. You may take one look at this perennial native and assume that not much would be visiting it and a chemical application would do no harm, but you may be mistaken as you can see in the photos below.
So before you head out for a chemical application, be sure to take a thorough wander through the gardens. Do not be distracted by the bold stand-outs and forget to take a look at the more understated blooms as well – they could have just as many, or more, beneficial insects as their audacious neighbors.
Bucks Horticulture 