Would you like to support the restoration and preservation of native pollinator habitats in your yard and community? As part of the Church of the Ascension’s environmental stewardship efforts, we have started a seed library of native and pollinator-friendly plants, which we are offering back to the Ascension community.
Many native pollinators, such as bumblebees, occupy a relatively small territorial range, so providing essential habitat features – such as host plants (egg-laying/young rearing), nectar and pollen sources (for both sustenance over the summer as well as storage for overwintering insects), and overwintering opportunities (i.e. shelter) can have a drastic positive effect on the health of the local pollinator population in your yard and also increase the natural biodiversity in your community.
Not sure where to start? Wondering what constitutes a “native” or “pollinator-friendly” plant? Are you unsure about how to gather or propagate seeds? Please check out the resources below:
- Pollinator Partnership Canada – offers eco-regional planting guides to support pollinators, which are tailored to specific regions of Canada.
- Wild Plants from Seed – offers information on the collection, storage, and propagation of Eastern Canada’s wild plants.
- The Ontario Invasive Plant Council – amongst its resources is the Grow Me Instead guide, which provides side-by-side native plant alternatives to common invasive plant species.
For an up-to-date list of available seeds, to request a selection of seeds, or to donate seeds from native/pollinator-friendly plants from your own gardens, please contact Robert Porter and/or Sarah Keeshan.