This year we have encouraged community and school gardens all across Georgia to add pollinator habitat to their gardens. The Pollinator Spaces Project website provides information to help gardeners learn about pollinator health and to create beautiful pollinator spaces. Local UGA Cooperative Extension agents have been hosting pollinator workshops during the year. All this adds up to beautiful, new pollinator habitat across the state!
To be included in the tally of gardens, growers send Becky Griffin (beckygri@uga.edu) photographs of their new spaces with some information about their garden. These new gardens are awarded a certificate of participation in Georgia pollinator history!
As of now, 18 Georgia counties are represented with over 48 pollinator gardens. To see photos of these gardens, and perhaps get inspired visit the garden gallery. Also, a story map has been created which highlights five of the spaces. This story map will be updated this winter with an interactive Georgia map.
Zach White, of Reinhardt College, recently hosted a showing of Flight of the Monarchs. This movie reminds us of another reason to add pollinator habitat. The migration of the monarchs is remarkable and many of us with pollinator plants have been excited to be a part of the migration.
The reasons to add pollinator plants are many:
- Increased pollinators activity assists in food production
- These plants add an element of beauty to the food garden
- Your work will aid in conservation efforts
- Pollinator plants also attract other beneficial insects
- You can enjoy watching the insects!
If you want to be part of this program contact Becky (beckygri@uga). We would love to include your garden.
Happy Pollinator Gardening!
Becky is a Georgia Certified Beekeeper and works with community and school gardeners to increase beneficial insect habitat.She is the coordinator of the Great Georgia Pollinator Census, happening this year on August 19th and 20th, 2022.She is also part of UGA's Native Plants and Beneficial Insect Working Group.
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A great story and a great website. I encourage everyone to give it a look. My company, ERM, is very proud to have played a small role in helping make this a reality.