What’s the buzz about pollinator gardens?

These special gardens provide food for pollinators such as bees, butterflies, moths and hummingbirds in the form of pollen and nectar. Pollinators are critically important animals. They maintain our ecosystems and pollinate the plants that people and animals eat. We wouldn’t have fruit and vegetables without pollinators!

Pollinator populations are declining due to invasive pests and diseases, exposure to pesticides and other chemicals, loss of habitat, loss of species and genetic diversity, and changing climate. Many types of butterflies, moths and native bees are either extremely rare or are extinct. To help protect pollinators, plant pollinator-friendly gardens, provide nesting areas and reduce pesticide use.

Anythink Wright Farms Pollinator Garden

Opened in August 2023, the Anythink Wright Farms Pollinator Garden is designed to help further learning and understanding of the importance of pollinators in our area. Community members can enjoy views of the garden from walkways, benches and a pergola, while enjoying the natural sounds from the basalt fountain. There are places throughout the garden for people of all ages to interact with learning prompts to better understand the role pollinators play in environmental stewardship. The garden was made possible in part through the generous support of Anythink Foundation donors and Amazon. It is dedicated to Linda Wisniewski, who served on the Anythink Board of Trustees from 2009-2019.

Located at the southeast corner of the Anythink Wright Farms site, the garden spans 1.5 acres, and features over 900 plantings of flowers and plants that attract pollinators. Some of these include:

Northern Catalpa Tree

Prairie Rose Crabapple Tree

Littleleaf Linden Tree

Regent Serviceberry

Miss Ruby Butterfly Bush

Rabbitbrush

Lynwood Gold Forsythia

Dwarf Korean Lilac

Bird’s Nest Spruce

Leadplant

White Meidiland Rose

Blonde Ambition Blue Grama Grass

Feather Reed Grass

Millenium Ornamental Onion

Native Butterfly Weed

Purple Dome Aster

Blue Clips Bellflower

Sunset Hyssop

Orange Carpet Hummingbird Trumpet

Blackeyed Susan

Blue Flax

Scarlet Bugler Penstemon

Purple Pasqueflower

Golden Baby Goldenrod