Since its establishment in 1970, April 22nd has been the official date for Earth Day, but every day is a day for celebrating the beauty and abundance of nature. Aside from the climate action agendas, when we love this beautiful planet that gives us life we stand in awe and wonder at the magnificence of it all. In that stance we would always protect it from harm and keep it pristine so it can continue to provide the clean air and water that are vital to our very existence.
Pollinator awareness
With your garden planning, be mindful of the pollinators like bees, butterflies and hummingbirds (BBBs), where bees are the number one pollinator. These guys are ultra important for maintaining the world food supply. Also, remember that before all the flowers come into bloom, Dandelions are the first source of nectar for bees in their dire need for food in early Spring.
If your lawn is prone to Dandelions and you don’t mind them, try to postpone your lawn mowing for the first two weeks after they bloom until they go to seed for the pollinators to get the most benefit. After that, bring out the sweet nectar of their favourite bloom of red, purple, yellow, blue, bright white and trumpet-shaped. It is suggested to arrange them in clumps so the BBBs don’t have to use so much energy in travelling so far between flowers.
Pollinator attractors
- Partial list: lavender, phox, black-eyed susan, sunflower, aster, coneflower, butterfly weed, bee balm, milkweed, yarrow, foxglove, dahlia, peony, honeysuckle.
If you want to attract only butterflies and hummingbirds, but not bees, the general rule is that bees can’t see the colour ‘red’, so fire up your garden with red Petunia, Lily, Geranium, Rose, Poppy, Chrysanthemum and Salvia. As for other floral traits that are offensive to bees, such as scent and acidity, think Mint, Basil, Cucumber and Eucalyptus.
Earth Day activities
- Choose which flower(s) you will plant this year to support Earth’s pollinators
- Look closely at a Dandelion and appreciate the wonder of nature
- Do some reading about how different parts of the Dandelion serve as a remedy in health supplements, plus eating the leaves grown in your own yard acts as a natural diuretic, bitter as some say they still eat them
- Add BBB emojis to your posts all month
- Download this image and Share it on social media, or find your own Share graphic
Resource links
Earth Day Organization – environmental stewardship awareness and practices
Pollinator Partnership – get a free guide to your ecoregion’s pollinators by entering your Postal/Zip Code
West Coast Seeds – has regional and seasonal planting guides plus a Bee Garden Blend to attract all pollinators
