There’s a buzz word in the gardening community: pollinators. How to attract, feed, host and care for pollinators has been a constant topic of conversation these past years. Our own Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens has launched a Plant for Pollinators Program in which they have set a goal of registering 500 pollinator gardens this year.

Chances are, if you are gardening, your are helping the pollinators. This new, more impassioned movement takes our endeavors a step or two further. We are selecting plants that haven’t been treated with chemicals which can harm pollinators, we are planting host plants as well as avoiding non-organic means of weed and pest control. The same principles of good garden design still remain, we simply incorporate more pollinator friendly plants whenever possible.

Throughout the Adopt-a-Plots you will see a slew of pollinator friendly plants from Russian Sage, salvias, milkweeds and herbs. Stop at Deb and Geof’s gardens and you are apt to see the herbs attracting pollinators as well as hosting said pollinators. Swallowtail butterflies and their young are quite at home in their gardens.

Most recently, the Wimberg Focal Garden became an official Plant for Pollinator garden. Designed with wildlife in mind, the caretaker is taking extra steps to ensure more pollinator friendly plants, both food and host plants, are incorporated into the garden. Experiments using a variety of organic weed killer is also being undertaken in the garden.

The Adopt-a-Plot gardens are a wonderful observation area. Here you can see which plants are attracting the pollinators you are most interested in, and study the complete garden design for ideas for a new planting in your own yard. And of course, all the volunteers are happy to answer your garden questions. You can also leave us a comment or question here.