February 24, 2022
Our pollinator garden started life in 2011 as a ‘butterfly garden’. A small corner of the community garden at the SE corner of Highway 99 at Mamquam Rd was fenced off and planted with species that are attractive to butterflies. Since then, our focus has shifted to the importance of many more kinds of insects and their places in our ecosystems, so we now think of it as a pollinator garden. In summer 2021, Jim Gracie and friends completely revised the garden and included many new species of plants.
My first look at the garden in July 2020 emphasized butterflies and bumble bees. Last summer I visited more often and photographed other bees and flying insects, including some males of a common species of bumble bees and one butterfly new to me. Have a look at what I found.
If you have time to help the garden grow, please contact our volunteer coordinator.
Gwen
Banner photo and slideshow, Gwen L’Hirondelle.