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Earthwise Garden keeps vitally important pollinators in mind

Summer is finally here and the volunteers at Earthwise Society have been busy working in the garden over the past few months. Their hard work and dedication are really starting to pay off.
Pollinator Week
June 22 to 28 is Pollinator Week, a great time to look at our own gardens and consider how they can make a positive contribution to urban ecosystems.

Summer is finally here and the volunteers at Earthwise Society have been busy working in the garden over the past few months. Their hard work and dedication are really starting to pay off.

The garden is currently in full bloom and is basking in all the attention it's been receiving. Volunteers like Lorna Robinson are enjoying their time in the garden.

"Volunteering at Earthwise feeds my passion for the natural world, it keeps me active and engaged with like-minded people,” says Robinson, “and spending a morning working in the garden always leaves me feeling happier, more relaxed and satisfied with life.”

The garden is more than “just” beautiful. Vibrant, showy flowers not only maximize the visual aesthetics of the garden, but they entice pollinators -- and the brighter a flower, the more attractive it will be to birds, bees and other beneficial critters.

Ecological gardens, like Earthwise, grown without pesticides, provide important habitat for songbirds, and their many colourful blossoms provide rich nectar for bees and other pollinators to feed on.

As these animals move around, pollen grains that have attached to their bodies are transported between plants, allowing most flowering plants to reproduce and set fruit. In fact, pollinators are responsible for one of every three bites of food that we eat.

Sadly, pollinator populations are in decline for many reasons, including loss of habitat and pesticide use. We can make a difference by planting gardens that provide a steady source of pollen and nectar throughout the growing season.

This, combined with elimination of pesticides, creates healthy habitat corridors that bees need in order to travel throughout our urbanized areas in search of food.

Urban gardens like Earthwise are becoming increasingly important community resources, with benefits to people, wildlife and the environment alike.

June 22 to 28 is Pollinator Week, a great time to look at our own gardens and consider how they can make a positive contribution to urban ecosystems.

For information on planting for pollinators, or if you would like to get involved volunteering at the Earthwise Garden, contact info@earthwisesociety.bc.ca or call 604-946-9828.