The TSCG Common Good Garden (CGG) volunteers are undertaking a special project this summer to build a pollinator garden located next to the eastern water tanks. Pollinator gardens are growing in popularity as populations of bees, butterflies and moths are increasingly under duress due to the loss of natural habitats and other environmental factors. 
Pollination goes hand in hand with sunlight and water in supporting gardening success. Specific varieties of bees and butterflies are some of the key pollinating resources in our region. The volunteers are building the pollinator garden to both help support successful crop production across the TSCG and to strengthen the populations of bees and butterflies that frequent our plots. So many of the plants that are grown in the TSCG are fruits and vegetables. Hopefully, we can attract more pollinators to the pollinator garden and in turn they can then aid all of the plots throughout the garden. 
In creating this space we also wanted to create a beautiful space for all to relax in and enjoy. There already is a pathway located in the pollinator garden and the CGG volunteers will be planting a variety of pollinator friendly perennials and annuals in the weeks ahead. We will continue to document the work of this project via the TSCG newsletter and BTLT blog as the summer progresses. So, stop by and visit the new pollinator garden as it develops in the weeks ahead. Spend a few minutes to enjoy the bees, butterflies and flowers that will be working to support your own gardens!
If you’d like to help with this project, please consider donating plants that we have identified as priority for establishing the TSCG Pollinator Garden.
Annuals
- Hollyhocks (could be considered a “short lived” perennial)
- Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia)
- Thistle
- Snapdragons (tender perennial)
- Zinnias
Perennials
- Allium
- Aster
- Bee Balm
- Blazing Star (Liatris)
- Blue Porterweed (Stachytarpheta urticifolia)
- Butterfly Bush
- Coneflower (Echinacea) (purple preferred)
- Cosmos
- Cranesbill
- False Nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica)
- Ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata)
- Joe pye-weed (miniature variety preferred)
- May Night Salvia (or other Salvia)
- Phlox
- Siberian Wallflower
- Sweet Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)
- Verbena
