I’ve been trying to cultivate a pollinator garden for a few years now. Have tried different locations in the yard (not enough sun, too much water, not enough water, etc) and different plants. Have tried all kinds of products guaranteed to keep rabbits and the woodchuck that lives under our neighbor’s deck away, with little success. I was pretty much resigned to a garden of hydrangeas, irises and other ornamentals. Until, that is, the Newton Conservators installed a pollinator garden over by City Hall. It inspired me to try again. So last fall, I tore out a wide swath of lily-of-the-valley in a spot I hadn’t tried before and picked out four plants that seemed to be thriving in the City Hall garden.
Success!! Thanks to Beth Wilkenson and the Newton Conservators for the inspiration and “virtual” encouragement.
P.S. Had to resort to fencing and stones to keep out the nibblers. And even then, vigilance is key. “Someone” managed to burrow under the fencing one night and demolish the yarrow. I thought rabbits don’t like yarrow!
I wish I had been as aggressive as Karen in thwarting the damage that various rodents did to my gardens during the final years we lived in Newton. I planted a huge number of flower bulbs at various times between the late 1970s and the first decade of this century. Very few were disturbed or destroyed until about 5 years ago when rabbits, chipmunks and perhaps other rodents as well began digging them up. It got progressively worse with each passing year and then they began attacking the leafy portions of both my annuals and perennials. I tried various fixes, but they always seemed to find a way around the defenses I established. Unlike Karen, I didn’t ask for help in addressing the problem. I now know that was a mistake.
Karen, it’s neat to know that you were inspired by the City Hall Pollinator Garden, and that your new plants are doing well! For more information, folks can check out the Pollinator Toolkit on the Newton Conservators’ website: https://newtonconservators.org/pollinator-toolkit/. Mark Feldhusen, who created the garden and toolkit with me, and I are delighted how well the garden is doing in its second year. The Newton Pollinator Working Group and the City Parks, Recreation & Culture Dept. also supported the creation of the garden.
And add milkweed to your garden to help Monarch butterflies, which are now listed as threatened.
Years before the Wellesley Office Park was constructed at the intersection of Routes 9 and 128, we used to chase butterflies at a huge open field along the Charles River where the Office Park is now located. We knew this area as the Kildare Fields. Hundreds and perhaps even thousands of Monarchs would spend time there while migrating either north or south. I saw only two Monarchs all of last year.
I will add milkweed — great idea!! I saw one solitary monarch just the other day. I grew up in northern NJ and our neighbor’s house was a favorite stopover for them on their migration. For a day or two the side of their house would be a shimmering mass of orange and black. I’d forgotten about that…