Starting a Native Wildflower Pollinator Plot  Drive through just about every neighborhood around you and take a look at the properties bordering the road. Almost invariably you’ll see endless numbers of gardens comprised of mown grass with (perhaps) a few, low growing, evergreen bushes. These are “low maintenance” gardens! Sadly missing from just about all of these properties are flowers… particularly those native flowers critical to the welfare of our insect pollinators and birds. Do we need those creatures? We certainly do… Our survival depends on it. But while we are constantly being told that bees are under stress and in rapid decline, most of us do nothing! So what can we do? Plant flowers! In particular, those native varieties that are so important to those insects and birds. If you’re game, here are some suggestions: Buying seeds: (Please check that they are native pollinator seeds not a mixture of native and non-native.) I have found two companies to be reliable: American Meadows, Shelburne, VT (www.americanmeadows.com) and Ernst Conservation Seeds, Meadville, PA (www.ernstseed.com). For those hard-to-find seeds, try Toadshade Wildflower Farm (www.toadshade.com), though I am sure there are other companies just as reliable!  Sowing seeds: Clear the ground of all growth (including grass). Dig the ground; then rake it level. Sprinkle the seeds thinly and evenly; then gently press them into the soil surface with a board; then water lightly. Do not bury the seeds.  Buying and planting plants: If you prefer to buy flats of wildflower plants, New Moon Nursery (wholesale), Woodstown, NJ is good…though for most private buyers, Izel Native Plants (www.izelplants.com) would be more appropriate. Short List of Native perennial pollinators that do well and look great:                     • Agastache - Blue Fortune (Blue)·                     • a - Butterfly weed (yellow)·                      • RudAsclepius Tuberosbeckia Hirta - Black-eyed Susan (Yellow)·                      • Liatris (various) - Blazing star (Purple)·                      • Mondarda Didyma – Bee Balm (Red)·                      • Monarda Fistula - Bee Balm (Pink)·                      • Aquilegia Canadensis - Cardinal Flower (Red)·                     • Mertensia Virginica - Virginia Bluebells (blue)·                     • Echinacea Purpurea - Coneflower (Purple·                     • Solidago (various) - Golden Rods (Yellow)·                      • Symphyotrichum Novae Anglia - Aster (Purple Dome·                      • Pachera Aurea - Golden Ragwo4rt (Yellow)·                     • Physostegia Virginina - Obedient Plant (Pink)·                      • Phlox Paniculata - (Pink Purple)·                      • Cosmos Bipinnatus - Purity (White) An amazing and most helpful consultant on the topic of wild flowers is Michelle Detwiler… (www.wildaboutnativeplants.com).  Caring for your garden: The experts say that wildflowers need care and attention the first season, but once established they get away very strongly. The experts also say that when the wildflowers have finished blooming, stems and seed heads should be left standing… as this is often where the insects’ eggs and larvae overwinter. But enough! I wish you success with your wildflower project and urge you to invite your friends and neighbors to see your wildflowers and their attendant pollinators… Who knows but what they might be moved to start their own wildflower plot! Sponsoring a Garden: If instead of planting your own garden, you would like to sponsor one, you can contribute to a program called: "Peter Grove's Pollinator Program" which the Riverbend Environmental Education Center is implementing over the next ten years. This is how it works: Riverbend is partnering with public, private, non-profit entities to facilitate the planting and maintenance of native pollinator plants in Lower Merion Township and Narberth where they will be visible and enjoyed by the public and others who pass by. These entities include public and private and nonprofit entities such as schools, libraries, garden clubs, public parks, property owners, civic associations and/or others which have the expertise, funding and/or ability to create and maintain a particular project. Riverbend, is determining which projects will be eligible to be funded and, with input from the Project sponsors, the parameters of each project: that is, the scope of each project, its size, its location, its cost, and who will design the project, prepare the ground for planting, procure the seeds and/or plants, plant them, water them and keep them free of invasive plants. Eligible projects can be placed on both public and private property ideally where they will be visible to the public. Project sponsors are encouraged to involve children and adult volunteers in creating and maintaining their projects. It is expected that a large variety of pollinator plants will be planted… and, to the extent possible, they will be native plants - even trees if they support pollinator insects and birds and, to the extent possible, pesticides and herbicides will not be used. Riverbend is making funds and/or expertise available to implement each project according to the needs of the individual Project sponsors in order to ensure the success of each project. For example, Riverbend might supply advice, expertise, referrals to garden suppliers, while the project sponsor might pay for the plants and supply manpower and maintenance. Riverbend has the discretion of expending extra effort and funding to support the maintenance of gardens on public properties or properties with "high visibility.” Likewise, Riverbend has the discretion of limiting the amount of Program funding where Project sponsors have the financial ability to pay for the creation and maintenance of pollinator projects on their property. For example, private property owners may be encouraged to join the Program but on a limited basis. In such cases, for example, Riverbend may choose not to provide funding for plants or labor but to provide education and advice. Riverbend is overseeing/monitoring the progress of projects in the Program. Most new projects will be launched during the first five years of the Program but ideally, they will all be self-sustaining for at least ten years from the year of their creation. If projects once initiated cannot be maintained for at least a ten-year period, Project sponsors are encouraged to create and maintain a comparable alternative pollinator project in a different location. Project sponsors are encouraged to mitigate risk of garden failure.  For example, they may undertake additional training and/or engage additional volunteers to step in and help maintain their project(s). Further, Project sponsors are encouraged to secure independent funding to maintain projects if necessary to ensure the viability of specific projects. To support financially, and/or to undertake a project as a Project sponsor, you are encouraged to contact…