Pollinators are in trouble especially in built up cities.

It is up to the urban residents to provide nectar, pollen, and nesting options.

Our native bumble bees are among our most important pollinators and they thrive in urban and suburban environments. Research has counted around 50 other types of Bees, carpenter bees, leaf cutters, borer bees, mason bees, sweat bees just to name a few and all are attracted to flowers and shrubs. Some are very dependent on early spring blossoms for nutrition and bare soil for nesting, some even nest in hollow plant branches. When we plant the fall and winter garden remember to plant 2 seasons ahead especially for our pollinators. I leave a large part of my greens and herbs to go to flower especially for the bees. And they are very busy this year. We have an unspoken agreement, I leave flowers for them and they continue to return to my garden to pollinate my future plants. It works out very well. I also have small flat platters or bird bath for them to drink and I leave an abundant amount of space un-groomed. They need the wild and I need them. This is a very important approach to sustainable gardening.

We can see the picture perfect magazine gardens and try to replicate them, but nature is messy and beautiful. Embrace a tumble of plants and some growth without touching it and simply let it live as it will. The many endangered bees and butterflys will thank you by returning year after year and you will see your production begin to go up. Because every tomato flower needs a bee! Life is busy with all the storms and  abundance of rain and my little place of heaven is a flowering abundance .

So live and let live. Relax and be like a butterfly and enjoy a flower, you will relax and begin to be part of this big wonderful spring.

Growing Green With Jannie