Pollinator garden route planned
Despite their small size, pollinating species such as bumblebees and hummingbirds have a major impact on the environment.
“Approximately 90 per cent of the world’s flowering plants depend on pollinators to reproduce, representing the crucial role pollinating species play in maintaining our environment,” said Janice Thomson, chairwoman of the Niagara Parks Commission.
Friday, Niagara Parks unveiled a new pollinator garden at Legends on the Niagara golf complex.
The small garden will form part of Niagara Parks’ newly-created pollinator garden route along the Niagara Parkway.
The pollinator gardens, 12 in all, will range from formal manicured gardens to natural habitats, all providing support for a wide range of native pollinating species, many of which are considered at risk.
There will be five pollinator gardens at Legends as well as a pollinator meadow.
Thomson said the gardens were developed to “sustain and enhance the important ecosystems and wildlife that call the lands of this complex their home.”
In total, more than 15,000 locallysourced native wildflowers and shrubs have been planted as part of the initiative.
Developed in collaboration with the provincial government’s Ontario150 funding program, the pollinator gardens will include 14 interpretive signs containing information about certain types of pollinators as well as references to various Indigenous myths.
Niagara Parks worked with local Indigenous artists and writers to cultivate a collection of animal legends and artwork that feature some of Ontario’s native species that will be showcased throughout the pollinator garden route.
Thomson said the initiative aligns well with other Niagara Parks environmental programs including the Chippawa grasslands bird habitat management project, which will restore approximately 50 hectares of fallow former agricultural fields into native grassland habitat.
The gardens will be registered with Million Garden Pollinator Program established by the American Public Gardens Association.